I meant to get to Stephanie Plum once I’d caught up on Kinsey Millhone. I’m on Q is for Quarry and she’s on V is for Vengeance. I wasn’t counting on a film version of the first Stephanie Plum novel coming out next week, with Katherine Heigl in the lead role. This meant adjusting my plan, and I put Q on hold while I dove into One. I’d like to get the first three books read before the film, to increase my chances of recognizing where the screenwriter might have combined story elements from different books.
Here’s my review:
Stephanie Plum was a discount lingerie buyer for a New Jersey store that “wasn’t exactly Victoria’s Secret.” A layoff is followed by selling all her furniture, having her car repossessed, and even taking the occasional meal with her parents. When the pet hamster’s on his last hamster food, Plum takes a job as a bounty hunter. Her first assignment is a bail-skipping cop wanted for murder, a cop who is also Stephanie’s one-time (or two time, depending on how you count things) lover.
In light, easy prose, Janet Evanovich keeps the tone sexy without getting sexual; her playful narrative floating the reader through Stephanie’s determined-but-hapless early experiences in a realm completely not hers to inhabit. It works because Evanovich injects whimsy into the outrageous plot setup without (very often) taking it over the top. Dangerous scenes are thoughtfully paced, punctuated at proper (and often unexpected) moments with Stephanie’s self-aware sense of humor.
Most importantly for the serial writer, Evanovich creates likeable supporting characters, a necessity in this genre. A fellow bounty hunter gives advice and helps Stephanie out of tough situations. An appliance store manager gives Stephanie discounts on blenders. A mother just wants her girl to get a normal job like everyone else. A cousin on the police force interacts with the main character with the easy, comfortable familiarity a cousin can pull off but a parent or sibling might not. Together, they create safe anchors of assurance in ever-shifting dynamics as Stephanie tries to figure out whom to trust and whom to keep an eye on. When Stephanie sits down in her hallway (she still has no furniture) with her cousin to share a pizza and a six-pack, the reader can relax a bit, can come down from the stress of worrying for her safety, just as Stephanie herself can. We need these characters if we’re going to keep hanging out with Stephanie.
As mystery stories go, it’s good enough. There’s never really an AHA! moment, but the whodunnit aspect of the novel feels secondary to the sympathetic ride Evanovich creates for us as we get to know the most endearing Stephanie Plum.
P is for Peril is such an unusual book in its own series that the discussion of this novel on the Sue Grafton message board has been turned into a sticky; it is permanently affixed near the top of the topic order so it can easily be found by visitors in search of some kind of explanation.
I hadn’t even noticed that the book doesn’t include Grafton’s now-customary epilogue, which takes the form of Kinsey Milhone typing up a quick summary of the case and ties up some of the loose ends, but I had noticed a different vibe in this sixteenth Kinsey novel, a strange detachment from the case and its players as if this is nothing more than a job Kinsey takes for pay. Kinsey does seem to like some of the people involved; however, where the previous installment, O is for Outlaw, immerses her in a case involving her own history, the case she takes here seems the exact opposite, almost as if she had been dropped into some other mystery series written for someone else but needing a main character. Some describe the story here as noir. I wouldn’t go that far, but there is a noirish feel here, a shadowy, black-and-white procedural told as if Kinsey is narrating the story about someone else.
It’s fine. As stories go, it doesn’t suck, and I didn’t mind the change in mood, even though I had high hopes since O is for Outlaw had been so terrific. Other reviewers feel that the end leaves the reader hanging, and it does that. I kind of like it that way. Nothing really turns out the way I want, yet I was not left feeling disappointed. Rather, it seemed like the kind of thing that might occasionally fall into Kinsey’s lap, and if it is too soon after the events in O is for Outlaw for her to allow us a delve into her emotional state, I can understand. That was a lot for Kinsey to deal with, and if anything surprises me, it’s that the entire text of P is for Peril isn’t simply, “After what I just went through, I’ve decided to go on vacation in Hawaii. Please proceed to Q is for Quarry where we will return to our usual madness.”
Nothing to rave about here, but nothing really to disappoint, either, and interesting enough a story that I was engaged throughout, even if Kinsey wasn’t.
This far into the series, the best thing about a Kinsey Milhone book is what it adds to a reader’s understanding of (and liking for) the main character. Author Sue Grafton knows this, and she seems to be pacing herself through the remainder of the alphabet with developments in Kinsey’s love life, revelations about her past, and coming to terms with abandonment issues in the face of new relationships with family members she’s only known about for a short time.
In N is for Noose, Grafton sweeps Kinsey away from her familiar stomping grounds and the focus is on story and perhaps a bit of personal growth; there’s not much for those of us eager to learn more about Kinsey’s past. She makes up for it (and then some) in O is for Outlaw. Not only do we finally learn something about Kinsey’s seldom-discussed first husband, but Micky MacGruder is the central figure in what is so far one of the best-executed novels in the series. A creative, intriguing set-up leads to a fascinating story, which leads to Kinsey’s learning more about her past than one might have hoped for in a single installment.
It starts with a phone call from a guy who has come into possession of a box containing some of Kinsey’s old belongings. It leads to a chance at redemption for the man she married at such a young age and divorced after such a short time. Grafton creates a really, really good plot here, putting Kinsey in a place where she willingly dredges up her past and makes herself emotionally vulnerable, something that the tough, independent Kinsey might normally shun.
Readers who for some reason have stalled-out at some point in the alphabet before O are encouraged to power through those doldrums (my own were with J, K, and L) and get to O, because it is a standout in this excellent series, an entertaining and rewarding combination of intriguing storytelling and fascinating character development. This is my new favorite Kinsey.
That stupid situation with the wheels is still being worked out, but the huge roadblock that put everything except my efforts and stress on hold has finally been powered through, thanks to the power of Twitter. Now it’s all a matter of getting a few signatures from my mom and being at a satellite city hall a couple of times (that itself is a challenge for a bus-rider), ‘though I hesitate to use that word all. The Hawaii bureaucracy has already demonstrated several times just in the past month how unpredictably uncooperative it can be.
Meanwhile, I turned 43 on the 5th. I’ll write about that later, but I’ll say now that I like 43. Prime numbers make me feel good, and the number itself reminds me of 43 Things, which I have been thinking about for the past year or so. More about that later too.
I’m still working on my year-end reviews. Might spend all day Monday at a cafe trying to finalize them all.
What’s a decorative font you really like?
The problem with decorative fonts is that if you fall too much in love with them, they get tired REALLY quickly. I will say I like stencil fonts a lot, but you can only use them once, really. You know, just writing that last sentence has convinced me that I don’t really care for decorative fonts at all.
MS Word uses Times New Roman as the default plain font; Apple Pages uses Helvetica. Is there a plain font you like better?
I have never liked Times New Roman, and it baffled me (baffles me still) when Microsoft switched its default from Times. Times is such a great font, and it has different looks depending on how you use it. Multiple pages of Times in 10-point, double-spaced, is maybe the best-looking printed matter I’ve ever seen, and when I have long projects that’s how I format them. It’s a completely different look from single-spaced, 12-point Times. Don’t ask me why. As for Helvetica, there is a reason it is such a cliche. And I have to say I never tire of it. Still, it’s Times in 10-point for me on all personal things. For almost all the stuff I print at school, I use Trebuchet because it’s legible, it’s kind of cool, and it’s sort of my signature. I’ve used it for pretty much every handout, test, or flyer I’ve created as a teacher for fifteen years. I like how, in smaller type, it just looks normal, but how it looks kind of decorative or stylish in larger sizes.
In words per minute, how fast do you type (if you Google “check your typing speed” or something like that, you’ll find many online options for testing yourself)?
Once I get warmed up on a fast keyboard, 110 to 115 is about normal. Most of the time it’s more like 100. My students every so often ask me to demonstrate because they don’t believe me.
Who in your life is just your type, but for some reason not romantically compatible with you?
I kind of hope she’s not reading this (I doubt she is; her online interests have gone in a completely different direction since she became a mom-blogger), but Donna (no link, but you can do a site search here and easily find links to her) has everything going for her except that she was spoken for and married LONG before I ever met her. I once described her to my teaching partner, and my partner said Donna sounds like exactly what I’m looking for. I’m quite certain that compatibility would never have worked the other way, though, so maybe that’s not true compatibility. ‘Cause really, I’m nothing like her husband.
What’s your blood type?
Be positive. My blood type is B+.
In the same show (December 14, 2011), two conversations illustrate how Ferguson is still smarter than the other late-night talk-show hosts. He doesn’t exhibit it as much as he used to, but check out his Freud vs. Jung conversation with Kenneth Branagh:
And then his discussion about atheism and C.S. Lewis with Patton Oswalt in the same episode:
It’s sneaky, Ferguson’s desire to walk the line between intellectual and idiotic, and he usually walks it well. Lately too much on the idiotic side for my tastes; still, not since Bob Costas left Later have I been so interested in a late-night guy’s brains. Colbert and Stewart don’t count because they’re on at 4:30 in Hawaii.
I’m starting off with the End-of-Year Book Survey taken from here. My problem is that for some reason (iPhone, probably), I read a lot less this year than in most years since my first year teaching (during which I didn’t read jack). I am therefore going to respond to this survey in such a way that it covers 2010 and 2011. Thanks to GoodReads, it shouldn’t be too hard to remember what I’ve read in the past 730 days.
Best Books You Read In 2010 and 2011?
This will probably be the easiest question on the survey, and it’s easy enough that I’ll give an answer for each year. In 2010 it was Rebecca Stead’s Newbery-winning When You Reach Me, a Newbery among Newberys, truly a special and wonderful book. In 2011 it was Suzanne Collins’s Mockingjay, remarkable for different reasons but still quite a good book.
Most Disappointing Book, or Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
It didn’t come with expectations because I didn’t know anything about it, but Sue Corbett’s The Last Newspaper Boy in America disappointed because it started off so promising and then finished so weakly.
Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010 or 2011?
I was surprised by The Hunger Games because bandwagons tend to be wrong. In this case, the bandwagon was right.
Book you recommended to people most in 2010 and 2011?
That would be Lynne Rae Perkins’s Criss Cross, which I passed along to a few colleagues and gave as gifts to a few friends. Nobody (except Malia, a couple of years ago) I’ve shared it with has thought much of it for some reason. Those silly, sightless people!
Best series you discovered in 2011?
Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games series.
Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010 or 2011?
Rebecca Stead, whose When You Reach Me and First Light are rather stunning for second and first novels.
Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I read Michael Lewis’s The Big Short, a book about the mortgage credit disaster. Yes, a book about money and business.
Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010 and 2011?
The plot in The Hunger Games is so horrifying I had to keep going, even though the issues are serious enough that I wanted to put it down so I could think about them.
Book you most anticipated in 2010 and 2011?
I used to attempt to be current with my reading, but when I had to read all those Newberys for my thesis, I realized there were just far too many books already out there that I really needed to read. I have spent most of my time catching up with those for the past few years. I suppose there are some authors whose work I will grab as soon as it’s out (Cynthia Kadohata, Linda Sue Park, Rebecca Stead, and Lynne Rae Perkins come to mind); most of the time, though, I’m trying to get caught up with even THEIR previously published work.
Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010 and 2011?
Most memorable character in 2011?
Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.
Most beautifully written book read in 2010 and 2011?
I am not sure “beautiful” is the word, but Lynne Rae Perkins’s All Alone in the Universe just blew me away with how skillfully it was written. She writes the way I wish I could write.
Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010 and 2011?
Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me. It reminded me of why I want so much to write.
Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2010 or 2011 to finally read?
I’m further behind on Sue Grafton’s alphabet mysteries than I thought. It doesn’t seem that the series should have taken me as many years (thirteen or fourteen!) to get through it as it has. And I want very much to be caught up when the last novel comes out.
Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2010 or 2011?
Darn it; I don’t have any of those in front of me right now, so I’ll quote something I’ve already quoted in this space:
Then I sat on the couch and closed my eyes. I pictured the world. I pictured the world millions of years ago, with crazy clouds of gas everywhere, and volcanoes, and the continents bumping into each other and then drifting apart. Okay. Now life begins. It starts in the water, with tiny things, microscopic, and then some get bigger. And one day something crawls out of the water onto land. There are animals, then humans, looking almost all alike. There are tiny differences in color, the shape of the face, the tone of the skin. But basically they are the same. They create shelters, grow food, experiment. They talk; they write things down.
Now fast-forward. The earth is still making loops around the sun. There are humans all over the place, driving in cars and flying in airplanes. And then one day one human tells another human that he doesn’t want to walk to school with her anymore.
“Does it really matter?” I ask myself.
It did.
From When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.
Book That You Read In 2010 or 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?
When You Reach Me.
Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
There is a moment in Suzanne Collins’s Catching Fire that caused me to gasp aloud. Reeling is a good way to describe my reaction when it is announced who the contestants will be in the Quarter Quell. Just mind-blowing, and completely unexpected.
This has not been my best year for reading. Summer vacation, usually a time of endless reading, was for me this year kind of a dead zone. It’s kind of Weedflower‘s fault. I read that in the summer of 2010 and was so moved by it that I had an impossible time writing my review. This made me not want to finish anything else, because it sucks when you get backed-up on book reviews. And every time I sat down to write about Weedflower I just froze up. When I finally made myself power through it right after Christmas, I knew I wasn’t writing my good stuff and I knew I wasn’t doing the novel justice, but there comes a time (and it had long passed) when you just have to suck it up and know you’re going to suck, so that you can move on.
So I didn’t read very much. Not much in the way of magazines or novels. Not as much in weblogs or journals. Not as much in news, ‘though I did read some news every day. It was The Hunger Games that got me out of that logjam, and what a great book for that.
I picked up an e-reader at the beginning of the year. There was a huge sale and the price was good for me. I have to say I liked the experience of reading my first book on it (The Big Short by Michael Lewis) and like the thought of adding it as another way of reading. As I have written here, there’s no way it will ever replace for me the joy of reading a real book.
So here I am in a new year, Weedflower finally written about and the rest of the books on my to-read shelf eagerly waiting. This is going to be a killer year for reading; I can feel it.
If they could invent a remote control for something in your house that doesn’t have one, what would you wish it to be?
I would like to be able to control every light in my house (dimming included) from a remote control near my bed.
What could your car really use that they just hasn’t invented yet?
Some way to move laterally a few inches at a time. Then you could adjust your parking with very little wasted time or energy.
Who among your friends could probably be a great inventor if he or she had enough funding to do it?
I think I could do it, but I have a couple of students who are so creative and so brilliant that if I ever get rich myself, I’m going to fund their research. It would be worth it, even if they never make a dime for me, to see the really fun stuff they come up with. I’m totally serious.
What invention seems to do its job in a less-satisfying manner than the old-fashioned way?
I’ve got cars on the mind (more about that later), so I’m going to say automatic transmissions. There are a lot of reasons to love automatics, but driving satisfaction just isn’t one of them.
Oh, I might as well say something about e-readers, an invention that also has a lot going for it. I own one myself and will own a few more before too long. However, they are merely good alternatives to books; reading one will never, ever, ever, EVER be as good as reading from a book. All the conveniences that an e-reader provides are merely conveniences: they don’t do a SINGLE thing to improve the actual experience of reading a book, and I simply don’t see how they ever could. I am trying to keep an open mind about it, so my biases, while they surely come into play, are not the only thing speaking here. The look, touch, and smell of a real book is something that has yet to be duplicated.
Lately, vending machines have gone beyond drinks and snacks: you can rent DVDs from them or even purchase iPods from them. What’s something your life could be improved by if it were available in vending machines?
I’ve never used the vending machines you find in men’s rooms. Why don’t they have stuff you could really use, like dental floss, disposable toothbrushes, toothpaste, Binaca, and Jack Daniels minis?
What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Taught Japanese!
Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I started really strongly with renewed vigor in my writing, but that trailed off for some reason, especially in the second half of the year. I found myself lacking focus and direction, not to mention some disillusionment with the direction this webspace was moving into, and that threw me into a kind of writing tizzy. But I love resolutions and you can be darn sure I’m going to write them up in this space soon.
How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?
I planned to spend it quietly at home, but I went for an end-of-year walk-and-shoot in Waikiki and didn’t get home until after midnight. Walked from the zoo all the way to city hall, then rode a bus from the state capitol to Liliha Street, then walked the rest of the way home.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
I don’t get why this is such a popular question in year-end memes.
Did anyone close to you die?
I wonder if this is why. Do you have to ask a birth question in order to balance out the obvious death question?
What countries did you visit?
Another strange question. The overwhelming majority of us never travels outside the country in one given year. Why do all the memes have this question?
What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn’t have in 2011?
Someone else’s answers are always naughty for questions like this. For me, I’m going with good health. While I didn’t get sick very much in 2011, I was far from healthy. Gotta get that back.
What date(s) from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don’t want this to be the answer, but it’s the only one I can think of right now: April 24, 2011. The day Ryan Suenaga died.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably finally getting rid of the old Festiva, which I actually haven’t gotten rid of yet, but it’s been cleaned out, cleaned up, and prepped for disposal. I did the same for the van. I have such difficulty letting things go; however, it felt good to take care of it and to clean out the carport too. I’m hoping this bodes well for housecleaning in this new year.
What was your biggest failure?
I haven’t been the friend I like to think I am. I need to make an effort to be that friend. Not to mention that son, uncle, brother, and even nephew.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had colds in the spring, summer, and winter. They weren’t too bad, but the summer and winter ones had me in bed for three or four days each.
What was the best thing you bought?
I already answered this, but it’s worth repeating: I got my iPhone 3GS for nine bucks.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
My niece is the daughter of a very grouchy woman. This very grouchy woman is the daughter of a very grouchy man. There’s a lot of grouchiness from very strong personalities in this family, but my niece has turned into a nice young woman. She’s perhaps a bit silly, and I have no idea how nice she is to others, but she works hard and is almost always pleasant to be around. The same cannot be said for her mom, brother, or grandfather. She may be the best of us all, and I’m rather proud of her.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
With apologies to my Republican friends, I have to say the more visible, vocal members of the Republican National Party. I consider myself more conservative than most Republicans, but being conservative doesn’t mean being a jerk. Sitting members of Congress on that side of the aisle are putting party politics ahead of the good of the nation; they want to see the country FAIL so that they can swoop in and save the day. This is not only unpatriotic, but it is treasonous and it sickens me. The Republicans are turning me into something I never thought I’d become: a Democrat.
Where did most of your money go?
Rent. After that, too many dinners out.
What did you get really excited about?
I read The Hunger Games and its two sequels this year. I got super excited about them.
What song will always remind you of 2011?
Rebecca Black’s “Friday.” Also Kina Grannis’s “In Your Arms.”
Compared to this time last year, are you:
– Happier or sadder? Slightly happier.
– Thinner or fatter? Quite a bit fatter.
– Richer or poorer? Slightly richer. I dumped my local bank and moved everything to my credit union, and that has made a HUGE difference.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t really hate this time last year?
Life is just too short to waste time or energy on hate. Why don’t people understand that? We don’t have enough time or energy to LOVE the people we love. That should be taking up our attention.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Swimming. I became a bus-rider this summer, and before that I had wheels I couldn’t really drive more than fifteen minutes away from home (thank goodness work is JUST fifteen minutes from home). This meant no beach for me, and I missed it like crazy. I just couldn’t find a way to make it work as a bus-rider.
Also: this Christmas break has reminded me of how wonderful sleep is. I wish I’d slept more!
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Am I allowed to say procrastinating?
How did you spend Christmas?
I woke up early, rode a bus to the airport post office, and mailed some gifts. Then I walked to school, where I fed the cats. Then I took a bus to my folks’ house, where I watched basketball until the sister’s family showed up. Then we ate and opened gifts.
Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
I just about never talk on the phone, but I guess I speak with my folks more often than anyone else, and even that’s hardly ever.
Did you fall in love in 2011?
No, but applications are being accepted NOW.
How many one-night stands?
Ha. I’m not into that. But I wouldn’t have minded some one-off smooching sessions if the opportunity had presented itself.
What was your favourite TV program? Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable.
What was the best book you read? The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
I can’t decide between Sierra Hull and Amanda Shires. So them. More about them later.
What did you want and get?
This is going to sound lame, but at the end of 2010, I was looking forward to getting myself a new drip coffee maker, which I picked up in the first week of the year. It’s nothing expensive or fancy, just a small coffee maker (I already had a larger coffee maker) that makes small pots of coffee. Adding that to my morning routine was fun for some reason, and I got a fairly nice Thermos and started taking coffee to work every day. Something about grinding beans and brewing coffee first thing in the morning really makes mornings a little more pleasant. And something about the small pot vs. the large pot just works for me.
What did you want and not get?
I really wanted new wheels, and I am THIS CLOSE to getting them; my dad’s just waiting for me to get rid of the Festiva before he hands over the papers. I really wanted them during Christmas Break but I’m having all kinds of problems I won’t get into here. I am very close to getting my hands on that car, though.
What was your favorite film of this year? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I ate too much. I wrote. I read. I took the day off from work. I turned 42.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time with my closest friends. Maybe a more active dating life. A few more Tweetups. More writing.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
At work: jacketless, tieless professional. Everywhere else: comfortable Hawaii casual.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Either Kina Grannis, Valerie Bertinelli, or Amanda Seyfried.
What kept you sane?
Probably alone time at home. And long walks in the middle of the night when my own company threatened to cause my own insanity.
What political issue stirred you the most?
The way Congress couldn’t get anything going this year. It really pissed me off.
Who did you miss?
R.
Who was the best new person you met?
I’ve been impressed with a new person in our business office. I don’t know this person outside of work, but there’s a combination of nice and professional that I admire. We haven’t always had both in that office.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Take care of stuff BEFORE it becomes a crisis.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“Sun’s up, uh-huh. Looks okay. The world survives into another day, and I’m thinking about eternity: some kind of ecstasy’s got a hold on me…” Also, “Yesterday was Thursday; Today it is Friday. We we we so excited; we so excited; we gonna have a ball today. Tomorrow is Saturday, and Sunday comes afterwards: I don’t want this weekend to end!”
What was your least favorite moment of the year?
The moment when I realized my friend Ryan was dead.
Where were you when 2011 began?
Home alone, just the way I wanted it.
Who were you with?
Just me.
Where will you be when 2011 ends?
I planned to be home, but I was walking from Waikiki back home.
Who will you be with when 2011 ends?
I was with just me.
What was your favorite month of 2011?
July was really great. I wanted it never to end.
Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2011?
I drank almost none. I’m making up for it so far in 2012, though, I’ll tell you what.
Did you do a lot of drugs in 2011?
No, unless you count the eyedrops I take for my glaucoma.
How many people did you sleep with in 2011?
Just me!
Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
I am ashamed of the way I have treated some people.
What was the worst lie someone told you in 2011?
As far as I know, nobody told me any lies. Am I naive to think this?
Did you treat somebody badly in 2011?
I need to be a more attentive friend.
Did somebody treat you badly in 2011?
Yes, but I probably deserved it. It doesn’t look like any of that’s going to change.
How much money did you spend in 2011?
Too much, but I’m getting better.
Best app of the year?
I’m going to split my vote between Word W.E.L.D.E.R. and War of Words. The former is much more nicely designed, but it’s a game you play by yourself. The latter is soooo slow (on my phone?) but the gameplay against others is kind of fun. I have a feeling I’ll get sick of it by mid summer. For now, though, I’m still hooked.
What do you think was the top news story of 2011?
It happened at the very end: the end of the war in Iraq. I still don’t have the words to write about it yet.
If you could go back in time to any moment of 2011, what would you change?
If there was anything I could have done to prevent Ryan’s death, I would like to have had a shot.
What are your plans for 2012?
I’m not really ready to discuss this yet. Hopefully soon.
So in as few words as possible, how would you sum up your year?
Emerging.
It was an interesting year for me, film-wise! While my theater-going didn’t stray very far off the beaten path, I spent a lot of time during my breaks from work filling in some holes, so that my home-viewing was really a lot more interesting than my theater-viewing. Many people are predicting the quick demise of theater movies; I will not be adding my voice to the chorus. For the past three years, I’ve been seeing about one movie per week (more during school-breaks) in theaters, and the first priority in these outings is always being out to see a film. I honestly don’t care much if the films I see in theaters during my weekly visits are very good. What matters to me is spending the time out, sometimes with friends and sometimes alone.
Unlike most of my film-loving friends, I have not yet gone the streaming-Netflix route. Almost everything I’ve seen at home has been on cable television or on DVD via RedBox or similar. Perhaps this is a difference. Once I venture into streaming content, maybe I’ll be like everyone else and find it more convenient and pleasant to stay home, not to mention more economical.
The word today is that ticket sales in theaters are down 5% from 2010, and streaming video is getting a lot of the blame. Some customers are citing price as the main reason; others are saying home is just better than out. Pundits say that the public will support film in theaters, but that it is looking for the blockbusters in theaters. Ugh, ugh, ugh. For me it’s almost all about two things: price and availability. Right now, most of the good non-mainstream films play in Honolulu at the Kahala Theaters, and the Kahala Theaters are crap-holes. Almost everyone I know who loves movies hates seeing them at Kahala. Unlike them, though, I express my displeasure by not going there.
Let me see these films in a nice theater, and I will pay the going rate. Let me see them at lower prices and I will see even more of them. I first wrote about this when I was in college and I was appalled at the price of a new CD at the local shopping-mall music store, expanding my criticism to the prices of movies. My sentiments are the same today, decades later: I’ll see a lot more movies if you lower the prices and spend MORE money on sodas and snacks. I know I am not going to get my way.
I have spent the past few hours revisiting my 2011 viewing, so let’s go.
My ten best films of 2011:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.
How wonderfully sad to see this series come to an end, but what a fitting conclusion. My greatest regret about this series is not that I saw the last two films before I read the book they were based on; it is that I was already a grownup when the novels and films were released. It would have been wonderful to have grown up with them.
50/50.
It should be pointed out that I gave Deathly Hallows 2 a 9 of 10 rating, while I gave 50/50 and the film that follows it an 8 and everything else in this top ten a 7. I saw a lot of fair-to-middling films, and my numbers 4 through 10 are really the best of the better-than-okay. 50/50, as you’ve heard, is an attempt to make a comedy about cancer. The fact that it manages to be funny and sensitive tells you how carefully it was put together. Bonus points for having that sweet, sweet cutie Anna Kendrick. It’s also a good movie for people who think they dislike Seth Rogen.
Midnight in Paris.
What strikes me as I read my own review of this film is that overwhelming sense of romance this film communicates. People call it an exploration of nostalgia, which it certainly is, and how we over-romanticize that, which we certainly do, but you can’t make a film that explores that without actually over-romanticizing nostalgia, which is maybe why this film feels so good. Sure, we all know we can’t find what we’re looking for by stepping back in time, but that doesn’t stop any of us from really wishing we could. This film both chides us for it and indulges our desire to do it. I don’t care that Woody Allen fans think he’s retreading old ground. For what it is, and for who I am as a viewer, this is a most satisfying film.
Limitless.
Something that has always puzzled me about people who get hooked on destructive drugs like crystal meth is that we’ve all seen the after photo. How does that photo not deter us? I get how smoking is still a draw: the destruction smoking visits upon us is far, far down the line. But meth’s work is ugly and quick. It’s not very long at all from before to after, and I’ve been unable to understand with clarity how it happens. Now that I’ve seen Limitless, I think I get it. The very idea that I might possibly be able to multiply my mental capacity is so freaking tempting that I can’t say what I’d do if the chance presented itself in the form of a pill. This is a highly stylized movie with an intriguing plot line; it gave me a lot to think about, something that not many films I saw in 2011 can claim.
Win Win.
There’s something strangely unsatisfying about this film about a lawyer who finds himself taking care of a wealthy old man on the verge of dementia and this old man’s criminal-type grandson. Paul Giamatti is really good, as is Amy Ryan playing his wife. The story is Alex Shaffer, though: before this film, he was a seventeen-year-old state wrestling champion with no acting credits. He plays the grandson Kyle so well that you just can’t believe he’s never been in a movie before. How director Thomas McCarthy (who directed The Station Agent, one of my twenty best films of the first decade of the 2000s) gets you to like Kyle while still remaining wary of him is kind of stroke of genius. McCarthy plays Shaffer off of Ryan in scenes that are carefully casual with undertones of distrust; the tension (and the trust that follows) is so right and so intimate that the scenes border on inappropriate in a way I simply cannot explain. There is nothing here, objectively viewing, that suggests anything out of line, but one just gets the feeling that it could happen. Everything in the plot works and makes sense except perhaps the final few minutes, which left me feeling slightly gypped. Still, definitely worth a look.
Bridesmaids.
I feel kind of dumb putting this at number 6, but then I remind myself of how good Kristen Wiig is, and how good Kristen Wiig is most of the time. She really is an amazingly gifted comic actress, creating characters that crack you up while they break your heart. There’s a lot here to make you cry for America, but I don’t think you can deny how good Wiig’s character is and how well she presents her. If you haven’t seen it, I totally get that. You know why you haven’t seen it and I sympathize. But see it anyway and you’ll see what I mean.
X-Men: First Class.
I’ll say that if you don’t care for comic-book movies, you really won’t care for this, so just move along to the rest of this list. For what it is, this is an entertaining film with interesting characters and interesting character development. I still don’t like Kevin Bacon in the role he plays here, and the whole Cuban Missile Crisis thing is pretty lame, but the intercharacter dynamics are really intriguing. And the women are pretty to look at.
One Day.
This could have been a great film. You have to get past Anne Hathaway’s bad English accent to see that potential greatness, but her performance is solid enough that you can do it. The story is nicely told and despite some maddening choices by the lead characters, Hathaway is too likeable not to root for. Which is why the last few minutes are so ill-advised. One can see why the writer and director send the film in the direction they ultimately do, but understanding it doesn’t make it good. Worth a look for Hathaway’s performance and for some of the storytelling, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The Muppets.
Good (not great) songs. Good (not great) gags. Good (not great) plot. Good (not great) performances by humans and Muppets, ‘though Amy Adams and Jason Segel are really solid. I wanted so much to love this film the way my fellow Muppets fans love it; I just see too many slight failings, some of which are nobody’s fault. I have a feeling this will grow on me. I plan to buy it when it’s on DVD so I can allow it to find its space in my heart, but I am not sure it will. I cannot deny that the very existence of this movie made me happier in a theater than I’d been in a very, very, very long time. Happier than I’d been in a long time, period.
Friends with Benefits.
I would never have predicted that the one with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake would be better than the one with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, but it is. The characters are more fully realized. The relationship is more believable. Everyone’s more likeable. And it’s just funnier.
Best actor: I’m going with Matt Damon in The Adjustment Bureau.
Best supporting actor: Alex Shaffer in Win Win.
Best actress: Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids.
Best supporting actress: Anna Kendrick in 50/50.
Best direction: David Yates in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.
Worst film: Season of the Witch.
Ubiquitous award: Justin Timberlake. Saw him in three films this year!
Hormones award: Amanda Seyfried, with Rose Byrne a close second.
Not as bad as I expected: Footloose remake.
Disappointing: Young Adult, which I saw in theaters twice. And Larry Crowne.
Good ingredients poorly assembled: What’s Your Number? and I Don’t Know How She Does It.
Might have been great with no-names in the leads: The Big Year.
Give me these people in better films in 2012, please: Anna Faris, Anne Hathaway.
Most likely DVD purchase: Young Adult.
Most sad that I missed: Moneyball.
The best 2010 film I saw in 2011 was Barney’s Version. Paul Giamatti and Rosamund Pike are soooo good.
The best older film I saw for the first time in 2011 was Juno.
The best thing I saw at someone else’s urging: Quiet City.
Why didn’t anyone tell me about: Shoot the Moon.
Meme-haters be warned: Although I plan to do a lot of real writing in the next twenty-four hours, I’m starting off with memes because memes are fun and I’m not apologizing.
1) Where did you begin 2011?
At home. Had a quiet night of writing and watching TV and then went to bed.
2) What was your status by Valentine’s Day?
Unapologetically single.
3) Were you in school anytime this year?
It would be a more challenging question to ask if there were two consecutive days when I was NOT in school.
4) How did you earn your money?
From teaching. Also made a few hundred selling one of my domains.
5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
Does it count if I go there for eye-doctor appointments? Then yes. Otherwise no.
6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
Ah heck. Yes. I got a couple of traffic tickets.
7) Would you re-live 2011 over and over again?
There are definitely worse years to relive. If I had to, I think I could bear it. That period around the end of April would be really tough, though.
What did you purchase that was over $1000?
Are you kidding? I VERY seldom make a single purchase that’s over a hundred bucks. I can’t even remember the last time I purchased anything (except tuition) that was over a thousand bucks.
9) Did you know anybody who got married?
Yes. Ross got married in July. I think Troi’s wedding was in 2011 too, but I didn’t go so I don’t really remember.
10) Did you know anybody who died?
Yes. My friend Ryan died while hiking Olomana on Easter Sunday.
11) Did you know anyone who had a baby?
None of my very close friends, but quite a few acquaintances and colleagues.
12) Did you move anywhere?
Nope. For once, I didn’t even move classrooms.
13) What concerts/shows did you go to?
Not a concert, but I saw a couple of friends play local gigs. I dig live music even when it’s bad, and most of what I heard live was good. I just wish Chris’s band would stop playing “What’s Up” and that Lauren would find a different James Taylor song to sing.
14) Are you registered to vote?
Of course I am.
15) Do you still have the same job as you did in 2010?
I still have the same job I’ve had since 2002.
16) Has anyone betrayed you in 2011?
I have betrayed myself multiple times; if someone else has betrayed me I don’t know about it and I probably deserve it.
17) Where do you live now?
Ha. I’m going to leave Malia’s answer: Same place I’ve been living these past fifteen years.
18) Describe your birthday:
I took the day off from work. I started with some writing. Then I took myself to lunch. Then I went to the bookstore and read while I drank coffee. Then I met Penny for dinner. All in all, it was a pretty good day.
19) What’s one thing you thought you’d never do but did in 2011?
I didn’t think I’d ever miss a graduation ceremony at a school where I taught, but my niece graduated from a different school on the same night. And I might miss next year’s when my nephew graduates from the same school.
20) What has been your favorite moment?
It’s really tough to remember favorite moments, but I was extremely proud of my niece when she graduated. That would be a top-fiver, at least. Oh, I know. My high-school class had a mini-reunion in August. It’s always that.
21) What’s something you learned about yourself?
I don’t mourn the way others mourn.
22) Any new additions to your family?
No.
23) What was your best month?
Probably June, the first month of summer vacation. It’s always June.
24) Were you in a relationship this year?
No.
25) What music will you remember 2011 by?
“Friday” by Rebecca Black. It is the song of the year, hands down.
26) Who has been your best drinking buddy/buddies?
The few times I had a beer while I was out, I was with Jen, checking out Lauren’s gigs at Hawaiian Brian’s. So I guess it’s her by default this year.
27) New friend?
A few new Twitter friends, people who then became real-life friends. So yeah. No qualifier necessary.
28) Favorite night out?
Because of car issues, most of my social nights out were at someone else’s instigation, and since Reid is the usual instigator, most of them were nights “out” at his place. We had some nice evenings there.
29) Would you say you’ve changed since the beginning of this year?
Yes, but no. I’m not sure what’s changed, but something feels different. And no, because I don’t know if I ever really change.
30) Do you think 2012 will be better or worse?
I think they’ll be much better. But I always think that!
——————-
In The Year of 2011, did you:
Meet new friends? Yes.
Find that special someone? Not to my knowledge.
Lost at least one friend over something silly? I think I’d have to say yes.
Lost someone you loved? Yes.
Have your heart broken? Yes.
Broken someone’s heart? I don’t think so, but here’s hoping.
Get back with an ex? No. But that would’ve been nice.
Get arrested? No.
Go to jail? No.
Go on at least one date? Um, no. This is one of those things about 2012 that will be better.
Go to the movies? Heck yes. Almost every Tuesday all year.
Go to the mall? Yes. A lot more than I used to.
Go Christmas shopping? Yes. Got it all done in one day.
Go trick-or-treating on halloween? No.
Go out of state? No.
Get a new pet? No.
Get everything you wanted? No. I want far too much for this ever to be yes.
Gain weight? Yes.
Lose weight? Yes. But not as much as I gained.
Get something very expensive from the one you love? No. I didn’t even get an email from her.
Graduate? No.
Drop out? No.
Fail a class? No. Who’s this aimed at, anyway?
Fail a test? No.
Get a new job? No.
Get your permit? No.
Get your license? No, but I did renew it last week. $40!
Get your own car? No, but I’m about to get new wheels.
Kiss at least over 5 people? No.
Dated at least over 5 people? No, but here’s to a better 2012!
Move? No.
Move out of town? No.
Move out of state? No. These questions are lame.
Move out of the country? No.
Get your own laptop or computer? No.
Get new clothes? Yes. More new clothes this year than in a LONG time.
Had sex? No.
Lose your virginity? No. You’ll know when I do.
Go to a concert? I don’t think so.
::The Best of 2011::
What was the best:
Song? I’m working on a whole post about this, so I’ll answer it later.
Concert you went to? One of Lauren’s gigs at Brian’s, if that counts.
Band/artist? Probably Bearfoot.
Relationship you’ve had? With my students, of course.
TV Show? Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable.
Place you’ve been to? I’m going to say Outback because it’s where the family’s celebratory dinners were.
Thing you bought? I got my iPhone 3GS for $9 brand-new. It’s maybe my best friend.
Clothing you got? I got a black t-shirt from the Think Geek catalogue. It says #000000 on it in black letters.
Movie? I am also working on a separate post about this, so I’ll answer it later too.
Moment for you? My niece’s graduation. And I’m going to add coffee and poetry with Laura during spring break.
::Few More Questions::
Did you enjoy the year of 2011? I’m leaving Malia’s answer: it was okay.
Why or why not? Small, noticeable growth, but still lots of pain.
Do you think it has been the best year for you so far? No way.
2011 IS OVER; WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
Stayed single almost the whole year? Yes.
Done something you’ve regretted? Yes. I should do a separate post about this.
Lost someone? Yes. I think this is the third time I’m answering this question in this same meme.
Cut class? No.
Were involved in something you’ll never forget? Yes.
Visited a different country? No.
Cooked a gross meal? Yes. I actually burned something in my slow-cooker, then ate it anyway.
Lost something important to you? Hm. I don’t think so.
Got a gift you adore? My sister gave me some knives I really like. Two students gave me Raiders tumblers.
Tripped over a coffee table? Yes.
Dyed your hair? No.
Came close to losing your life? I don’t think so.
Went to a party? I don’t think so.
Read a great book? Yes!
Saw one of your favorite bands/artists live? Not this year.
2011: Friends and Enemies
Did you meet any new friends this year? Yes.
Did you dislike anyone? I don’t think so.
Did you grow apart from anyone? Yes.
Do you have any regrets when it comes to your friendships? I have many. Regret is my middle name.
2011: Your BIRTHDAY!
Did you have a cake? I don’t think so.
Did you get any presents? Yes, but darn it if I can remember a single one.
2011: All about YOU
Did you change at all this year? Yes.
Did you change your style? Um, yes. I switched from boxers to briefs, and from crew socks to low-cuts.
Were you in school? Yes.
Did you get good grades? I didn’t get grades.
Did you have a job? Yes.
Did you drive? Yes.
Did anyone close to you give birth? Some colleagues.
Did you go on any vacations? Time off, yes. Trips, no.
Would you change anything about yourself now? Yes. Multiple things.
2011: Wrap Up:
Was 2011 a good year? It was okay.
Do you think 2012 will top 2011? I’m sure of it.
** JANUARY **
1. Where did you spend New Years Eve? Quietly at home.
2. Did you have a new year’s resolution that year? Yes. I resolved to write more. A lot more.
3. Does it snow where you live? No.
4. Do you like hot chocolate? Yes.
5. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop? I will never. I hate crowds.
** FEBRUARY **
1. Who was your Valentine? My homeroom.
2. When you were little, did you buy valentines for all of your classmates? Yes I did.
3. Do you care if the groundhog sees its shadow or not? I do care.
** MARCH **
1. Are you Irish? 25%.
2. Did you wear green on St. Patty’s Day? Yes, but not much.
3. What did you do for St. Patty’s Day? Just went to work.
4. Are you happy when winter is pretty much over? Only because it means the sun’s coming up earlier and I can go to the beach before work.
** APRIL **
1. Do you like the rain? Mostly yes.
2. Did you play an April fool’s joke on anyone this year? No.
3. Do you get tons of candy on Easter? No.
4. Do you celebrate 4/20? Of course I don’t.
5. Do you love the month of April? Only because it’s means school’s almost over. Other than that, it’s one of the most nondescript months of the year.
** MAY **
1. What’s your favorite kind of flower? Tulips.
2. Do you like the spring? Very much.
3. Finish the phrase “April showers”: Remind me of Hilo.
4. What is the first color you think of when you think of Spring? The green of the grass on a baseball field.
** JUNE **
1. Did you graduate high school yet? Yes. A loooong time ago.
2. Did you realize nothing special happens in June? That’s ridiculous. There’s Fathers Day. And the beginning of summer vacation.
** JULY **
1. What did you do on the Fourth of July? I think I stayed home.
2. Did you go on any vacations during this month? No.
3. Do you blast the A/C all day? I don’t have AC.
** AUGUST **
1. Did you do anything special at the end of your summer? I had my mini-reunion, and I was asked to join a writers’ group.
2. What was your favorite summer memory of ’11? Getting lots of sleep.
3. Did you have a sunburn? A couple of times when I went on very long walks.
4. Do you go to the beach a lot? Not this year, but in 2012 for sure, wheels permitting.
** SEPTEMBER **
1. Did you attend school/college in ’11? Only to teach.
2. Who is your favorite teacher? The woman whose house I now rent.
3. Do you like fall better than summer? Not by a longshot. Geez, what kind of twisted person…?
** OCTOBER **
1. What was your Halloween costume? No costume this year. Going for Peter Criss in 2012.
2. What’s your favorite candy? This year, it was those bite-size Butterfingers.
3. What did you do for Halloween? stay home. I think I stayed home.
** NOVEMBER**
1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving? My folks’.
2. Do you love stuffing? Oh my, yes. But we didn’t have any this year.
3. What are you thankful for? A good, mostly recession-proof job.
** DECEMBER **
1. Do you celebrate Christmas? I do.
2. If not, what do you celebrate? …
3. Have you ever been kissed under mistletoe? I’ve done some cheek-kissing beneath the mistletoe.
4. Get anything special? I got some nice gift cards from family. And cash from Santa Mom and Santa Dad.
Holy cow, that took long. And I just realized that I planned to be here at this cafe until late, but I don’t have a phone charger. I’m going to walk over to the Walmart and get one then come back and we’ll see how it goes.
Stephanie Plum was a discount lingerie buyer for a New Jersey store that “wasn’t exactly Victoria’s Secret.” A layoff is followed by selling all her furniture, having her car repossessed, and even taking the occasional meal with her parents. When the pet hamster’s on his last hamster food, Plum takes a job as a bounty hunter. Her first assignment is a bail-skipping cop wanted for murder, a cop who is also Stephanie’s one-time (or two time, depending on how you count things) lover.
This far into the series, the best thing about a Kinsey Milhone book is what it adds to a reader’s understanding of (and liking for) the main character. Author Sue Grafton knows this, and she seems to be pacing herself through the remainder of the alphabet with developments in Kinsey’s love life, revelations about her past, and coming to terms with abandonment issues in the face of new relationships with family members she’s only known about for a short time.
What did you purchase that was over $1000?