Limitless Ramblings

I was rereading some old blog posts and came across a few I wrote while I was reading. I really liked reading them... I seemed like a totally different person back then. There was so much joy in my writing, so much passion for what I was reading.

I'm busy. My poor blog is getting neglected because I'm just super busy all the time. People used to tell me that they had absolutely no free time and I used to be like "psh, whatevs, there's always free time!"

Life's been BUSY BUSY BUSY. Oof. I feel like I've been pulling 36 hour days... and today I had to be up early on my one day off for Mexico training. It was, however, so totally worth it.

For those of you who don't know, the high school group at my church goes down to Mexico over spring break and does missions work for a couple of churches down there. And we aren't talking the fun parts of Mexico, either. The area we go to is covered in trash. This will be my second year going, and I honestly can't wait.

I've been helping here and there with the Mexico stuff, but Mexico Training is when it really hits that it's getting close... and it really is exciting! It was such a different experience this time, because I'm going down as a "vet", and I was able to - instead of being the one that listened to everyone talk about their experiences - reminisce with other people about things that happened last year. ("OH NO! It's the butterfly craft all over again!" "And then we were all like 'mariposa body! mariposa body!' cuz people were just leaving them lying around...")

It was fun being on the other side of things, and it was really fun sharing with others why I wanted to go back... which is, ultimately, to see the kids! It's amazing to me how close you can get to people in 5 days. I remember most of my kiddos' names, and I am dying to see how they're doing and what not... there's one little girl in particular I want to check up on...

Anyway, that's what I'll be planning for in the next month. And, with Drabble a Day coming to an end (Thank GOD) I'll hopefully have more time to focus on actually blogging.

Sorry about the lack of blogging going on here!! Life is incredibly hectic!!! XD

I tried my hand at audio booking today... and it was really fun! I've always loved audio books, hearing other people act out books that I'd either already read or was "reading" for the first time, and I've wanted to try my hand at it for a long time.

So, I used yesterday's "Drabble a Day" entry, The Changed, as my audio book trial... and like I said, I had fun! It's like acting, kind of. You have to put a lot more into your voice, because people can't actually see you.

But it is kind of interesting, recording something like that and then listening to it played back. Needless to say, I think I'll make it a side project to audio-ify all 4 or 5 chapters of The Changed, just to have it, and see how it turns out. Who knows, maybe it could be a new thing... lol.

So, a little while ago, I put together a winter reading list, because I felt I hadn't been reading enough. I read a total of 2 1/2 of the books on it, but one of them was The Running Man by Richard Bachman*, and I really enjoyed it.

It's one of those books set in a dreary world, stuck in an unofficial cast system. The rich and privileged are very much so, while the poor and unfortunate souls are all but ignored. And no one tries to change the status quo, because - while it isn't full blown - the world TRM is set in is a pre collectivist society. They're all zombies... harmless, but zombies none the less. And sometimes, just sitting on your rear end can do more damage than trying to pry someone's brain out of their skull.

But I digress. The upper class offers the lower class one chance at redemption, one way to break out of their poverty and finally live the high life: A series of games. An organization called "The Network" puts on games for people to win however many new dollars they can manage... but these aren't normal games. Each game pits you against some sort of weakness. For instance, people with heart disease or asthma would compete in Treadmill to Bucks, where they basically run on a treadmill until they have a heart attack. The longer they go, the more money they win.

The largest viewed game on The Network is The Running Man, where the competitor literally runs for his life, while being hunted. Viewers are told to view the contestant as a criminal, to turn him in whenever they find him, or even kill him if they can. And sightings and/or killings result in cash prizes for the killer. The risk is high, but the payout is even higher, which is why we have the story to begin with. Ben Richards has a sick daughter and needs the money, and so he competes.

I was really really impressed with the book. The pace is quick, it isn't bogged down by a lot of slow background introductions. It hits the ground running, and is full of surprises. What's most intriguing about the book, however, is that none of the characters are completely likable. Each and every one leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and at times you don't know who you should be rooting for. But that doesn't make you want to stop reading. It's done in such a way that, even though you may hate the protagonist at times, you hate the antagonists so much you want to see that they get theirs.

The ending was one of the best I've ever read. Bachman wrote the book to tell the tale of the guy that doesn't win, who doesn't walk away with a happy ending, and he does it very well. There is such a mixture of emotions when you finally close the book, that you really don't know what to do with them all. You're sad, you're happy, you feel mildly triumphant - even if you personally didn't do anything - and you feel as though you wasted your time. But you don't mind having wasted that time. It's satisfying in a really empty, tragic way.

And when things like this start popping up, it makes the book fairly terrifying.

All in all, a very good read. Quick, interesting, and very well written. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the collectivism, small-guy-trying-to-beat-the-man type stories, but I warn that it isn't a cushy, fluffy, happy go lucky book. There is never a moment where your heart gets excited, never an instant when you get a warm fuzzy. It's written in a way that makes the reader feel like they're on the run as well... it's stressful and intense and always on. But I guarantee you, it is well worth the read**.


*Richard Bachman is Stephen King... but the writing styles are completely different, so when referring to works King wrote as Bachman, I will use Bachman's name. They are the same person, but they aren't, and it's easier for me to refer to them as two different people.
**You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or Target, as well as purchase it online here.