Still a Book Nerd

Sorry for the week-long absence. I've been busy getting ready to move out to school for next semester (and Christmas shopping). I'm sure once I'm settled out there we will have regular updates again.

I saw a man in the store where I work with a Field Notes notebook and had to ask him about it. He immediately started talking to me about the designer of the notebook and all sorts of geeky things. It's always good to know there are others out there.

In pen news, I placed my second JetPens order mere minutes ago! I'm pretty excited about it. I used an e-gift certificate that my dad got me for Christmas because he's awesome. I'm looking forward especially to the Sliccies and Hi-Tec-C Coleto multi-pens I ordered. I need to have cool  new pens for school!

I've been reading Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones for about the fifth time. It's one of my favorite books on writing (along with Bird by Bird by Anne Lammott and On Writing by Stephen King). I've also been readin The True Notebooks by Mark Salzman, some Hemingway, and some Augusten Burroughs. I'm feeling the non-fiction right now, though I'm trying to make fiction happen myself. And I'm trying to prepare myself for the poetry workshop I'm taking in the coming semester.

Well, that's all for now.

-Taylor

Movies 2009

Okay, so my plan is to do my list of top ten movies of 2009 and my list of five biggest disappointments. Here are the parameters: (1) The movie had to be released in theaters in 2009. (2) I (obviously) had to see it. This means that there are a number of movies that were recently released or are being released later this month that I could not include. I'll make sure to include them in next year's list.

I would like to point out a few other things as well. First of all, this is a list of my favorite movies of this year, so it's all about my personal preference. And while I like to think that I have pretty good taste in movies, I'm not saying that these were the best movies of the year. Just my favorites.

Also, all of the movies on this list are relatively mainstream and were put in wide release. I don't live in or near a major city, and I don't get to see as many independent/limited release movies as I would like to. I also thought it would be better to make a list of movies people were likely to know. I saw most, but not all, of these movies in theaters. So there you go. One last thing: I see a lot of movies. I go to theaters a lot, and I watch A LOT of dvds. So I just hope I'm not forgetting anything.

Let's start off with the bad news, shall we?

5 BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2009

5.  The Uninvited- The Uninvited gets a space on my biggest disappointments list not because it was a terrible movie (though it wasn't great) but because of the circumstances surrounding my viewing of it. I guess it's partly my fault, but I did not do adequate research before agreeing to go see this movie with my father. I was not aware that the film was a remake of a Korean horror film titled Two Sisters, which I had already seen. Naturally, I was very disappointed because I was expecting a new experience and instead got stuck with a twist ending that I already knew. This film and that experience represents all of the feelings I have toward the "remake, reboot" trend going on currently. There are exceptions to every rule, and there is a reboot of sorts on my best list, but this film was not one of them. You'd think it would kill the film industry to put out an original film. End rant (for now).

4. Bruno- I actually wasn't a big fan of Borat, so I don't know what I was expecting from Bruno. I just love Sacha Baron Cohen in everything else besides Borat, so I had to go see it. Beyond finding it more disgusting than funny (a ratio I don't really appreciate), I was bored. Also, seriously, what is it with mainstream movies and full-frontal male nudity these days? If I want to stare at a dick onscreen, I'll watch porn. It doesn't need to happen at the movies. Including nudity just for shock factor is stupid.

3. Public Enemies- I really thought I would like this movie. It seemed to combine everything I love. Great leading actors (Depp, Cotillard, Bale), history, cool costumes, and action scenes (of a kind). I'm not hard to please. Unfortunately, Public Enemies got way too tangled up in its many storylines, and the convulted script detracted from the acting. I feel like Bale barely even had a part. The only part of the film that had any life was the love story between Depp and Cotillard, and there wasn't enough of it.

2. The Invention of Lying- Take a hilarious concept, a hilarious cast, and a hilarious first act of a movie. Then muck everything up with a ridiculous subplot concering religion and the existence of god, and watch the movie fall apart. Another movie I was very excited for that just fell flat for me because it seemed to get tangled up in itself.

1. Funny People- The trailer, title, and cast of this movie tricked me into thinking that it was going to be a comedy. Seriously, this movie seemed to have every ingredient of a film I would love. I was so, so excited to see it. And when I did, it really let me down. It was easily the biggest movie disappointment of the year for me. The movie was awkward, depressing, and not funny at all. A certain degree of awkwardness in a movie is funny and can make it ring true, but that didn't work for Funny People. It just made me uncomfortable watching it (and not in a good way like some of the movies on the best list).

Dishonorable Mentions: Bride Wars, The Last House on the Left, Post Grad, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Angels and Demons, Year One

I'm going to try to keep my top 10 explanations a little shorter because I'd much rather you see the movie if you haven't already and let it speak for itself. However, I'm not great at reining myself in. We'll see how it goes.

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2009

10.  Drag Me to Hell- A great lead actress (Alison Lohman), an effective blend of horror and comedy, and *GASP* an original idea! This gets points just for being a 2009 horror movie that wasn't a remake, prequel, or sequel.

9. The Hangover- The Hangover took a core cast of barely known actors and pulled off one of the best comedies of the year. This was such a refreshing change from every overdone situational rom-com this year (though, as you'll see in the honorable mentions, I think The Proposal did the rom-com right).

8. Jennifer's Body- I feel like this may be a controversial choice, but I'm sticking with it. I have mixed feelings about Diablo Cody's writing style, but I think that even though it's a bit over the top, it worked in the context of Jennifer's Body. When I saw the trailers for the film, I really thought it was going to be a Megan Fox vehicle. A lot of people have strong opinions about Fox, but all of that aside, I thought she did very well. The real standout, though, was Amanda Seyfried. It's really her movie, and she does a phenomenal job in my opinion.

7. Paranormal Activity- This movie is just impressive. It worked off of a miniscule budget (especially by industry standards), a crazily effective viral marketing campaign, and a simple horror idea that's frighteningly effective (haha). I had no idea what to expect when I went to see this, and I was  pleasantly surprised. This is also one of the only horror movies in recent memory that managed to scare me a little.

6. Harry Potter and the Half -Blood Prince- First of all, this movie had one of the best theatrical trailers of the year, in my opinion. It's been eleven years since I read the first Harry Potter book, and honestly I'm kind of over it, but that trailer gave me chills. The movie is an entertaining mix of drama, action, and silly teen romance, and I think it's the first of the movies to effectively appeal to both fans of the book series and people who've only seen the movies (better late than never, I guess). I don't even really mind the fact that it's ridiculously long. In my opinion, it's clearly the best HP film so far. Oh, and Alan Rickman. I'm just saying.

5. Watchmen- I would like to preface this by saying that I haven't read the graphic novel. I want to, but graphic novels confuse me; I just have problems with the format. (I think they're awesome, though.) As someone who had no idea what Watchmen was about prior to seeing the film, I was incredibly impressed. I especially liked the casting choices. I think that casting lesser-known but more appropriate actors for the roles is what really sets this movie about most of the other "superhero" movies. Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach was one of my favorite performaces of the year. He's the only reason I'll even consider the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.

4. (500) Days of Summer- One thing I loved about this movie was how it in some ways turned the tables on the expected gender stereotypes in romances. I feel like I can rely on Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel for solid performances every time (we'll forget The Happening exists). This isn't typically my "type" of film, and that's part of the reason I enjoyed it so much. You know a movie's good when it can transcend genre. Oh, and Matthew Gray Gubler. I'm just saying.

3. Inglorious Basterds- I hesistate to even try to explain how awesome this movie is. Just see it. Please please please. Thank goodness Brad Pitt is interesting again. The cast is amazing, the script is amazing, the camera work and the cinematography and the costumes and the pacing and it's just SO GOOD. See it now.

2. Up- I love Wall-e. I love it quite a bit. But Up is the greatest animated movie of this decade. I hesistate to pit it against the Disney movies of my childhood (The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, etc.) because I feel like childhood movies are just something you don't mess with. But Up is one of the best movies I've seen in years. I really hope that with the expanded Best Picture category it'll be able to snag a nomination.

1. Star Trek- I think it's funny that with all of my complaining about remakes and reboots, my number one movie of the year is a reboot of an immensely popular movie franchise. But whatever. Star Trek blew away any expectations I might have had going into it. I wasn't even a Star Trek fan. I've never seen any of the other movies. I've never seen a full episode of the television series. And still, I was completely sucked into the story. I think that Star Trek is the perfect example of a blockbuster done right. I'm actually excited for the next movie in the series, and that very rarely happens with me. Please see this if you haven't yet. It just came out on dvd. Even if you aren't a trekkie (is that the correct spelling?), I'm pretty certain you'll love it.

Honorable Mentions: District 9, Terminator Salvation, The Fourth Kind, Zombieland, Adventureland, Extract, Whip It!, The Proposal, Taken, Sunshine Cleaning, The Brothers Bloom, I Love You Man, He's Just Not That Into You

So, there they are. I would absolutely love to hear your opinions on the movies in the lists, and I hope you'll leave your favorite (and least favorite) movies of the year in the comments.

-Taylor

Current Top Ten

So this is my current top ten pen-wise. I would like to add that though most of my favorite pens are on this list, this is really my top ten for usage, and that's how they're ranked. The lower the number, the more often I use them. If I have a pen in multiple colors I picked my favorite for the sample. I realized that usually means blue. The list title was written with the honorable mention pen: the Pilot VBall.

10. Sakura Gelly Roll Stardust
9. Paper Mate Flair
8. Uni-ball Jetstream Sport 0.7mm
7. Pilot G-2 0.38mm
6. Pilot FriXion Color Pencil Like 0.7mm
5. Zebra Sarasa 0.7mm
4. Uni-ball Signo 0.7mm
3. Platinum Preppy Fine
2. Pentel Slicci 0.4mm
1. Uni-ball Signo DX 0.38mm

So there you go. Uni-ball is the prevailing brand, and I would have to say it's my favorite, as there are many other Uni-ball pens outside the "top ten" that I use often. Pilot comes in a close second. Also, despite the fact that I've been using a lot more micro-tipped pens lately, 0.7mm still works best for me.

What about you? What's your top ten? Top five? Your top pen? Have you noticed any trends about your favorite brands, colors, or point sizes? I'd love to hear from you.

I'm going to start working on a Top Ten movies of 2009 list for the next post (hopefully). I would do my top ten books of the year, but I can never remember when I read what. And asking me to pick my top ten books is impossible.

-Taylor

Fifth Carnival of Pen, Pencil, and Paper

Don't forget, the fifth Carnival of Pen, Pencil, and Paper is taking place at Goldspot Pens. Be sure to stop by and check out all of the great posts and articles. I really enjoyed it.

I'm super busy with real life stuff today, so we'll hopefully get back to our regularly scheduled blog programming tomorrow. Thanks to the new commenters/followers!

-Taylor

What I'm Using Today and Movies

This is what I've been using for my writing/journaling so far today: Rhodia Reverse Book and a red Pilot VBall Extra Fine. I was just in a red ink mood this morning. I rarely write with red ink because I associate it (as so many seem to) with corrections on school papers and such things. However, I do occasionally get in the mood for it. Red ink can be very bright and nice.

My question for you, dear readers and fellow bloggers, is what are you using to write on/with today? Pictures are a bonus!

I watched four movies recently, two in the theater and two on dvd. Out of the four, I can really only reccomend one, which disappoints me.

New Moon- aside from being a mediocre at best movie based on a poorly written book, I found this movie offensive. It's blatantly sexist (toward both genders) and depicts teenage romance terribly. I would elaborate further, but my opinion is connected to the events of the next two books as well. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone waiting for the next movies. And don't worry, you won't have long to wait. Desperate to keep the Twilight craze going, the studio has enforced an absolutely ridiculous production schedule and Eclipse will hit theaters in June 2010. Just don't expect to see me there.

Constantine- this is one of the movies I watched on dvd. It stars Keanu Reeves as an exorcist of sorts. He has the power to "deport" demons back to hell when they take posession of human bodies. Rachel Weisz plays the female lead, a police officer with psychic powers who loses her sister to suicide. Her character isn't very well developed, and I think the part was a waste of Weisz's talent. I wasn't impressed. I don't think many people were. I only watched this because I read that the portrayal of the "Satan" character was interesting. He's really not in much of the movie, and his performance wasn't enough to make up for the rest of the film.

The Brothers Bloom- I watched The Brothers Bloom mostly because it was directed by Rian Johnson, who directed Brick, which is one of my favorite movies. This is the only movie on my list that I can reccomend easily. It was funny and strange, with just enough drama. It stars Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz (shining in this film), and Rinko Kikuchi. It's a story about two brothers (Ruffalo and Brody) who are con-men, along with their partner Bang Bang (Kikuchi). I found Kikuchi's performance hilarious, and I really thought that it enhanced the film for me. Though the seemingly endless layers of "cons" going on in the movie got a little tiring and confusing, overall I really enjoyed it. I reccomend both The Brothers Bloom and Brick and look forward to seeing more from Rian Johnson.

Everybody's Fine- this film stars Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, and Kate Beckinsale. It's a remake of a 1990 Italian film Stanno Tutti Bene. It's basically about Robert De Niro's character travelling the country to surprise his children with visits after they all cancel on a family reunion. He soon learns that he doesn't know as much about his children as he thought he did. I found the movie to be a bit overdone, the kind of depressing but also touching family movie we get every Christmas season. It really wasn't my thing, though I think my grandparents would have probably liked it. I found it to be a mediocre plot/script that didn't take allow the very talented cast to work to their true potential. I did enjoy the fact that Katherine Moennig had a small part though, because I seriously love The L Word.

Okay, well, it's time for me to go to work. I will hopefully be seeing Brothers sometime this week, so keep an eye out for my opinions on that.

-Taylor

Pentel Slicci 0.4mm

Colors: Dark Purple, Turquoise Blue

This is the other pen in the running for my favorite pen. Right now it is a close second behind the Uni-ball Signo DX. The Slicci has a lot of good points:

1. Very sturdy construction/tip

2. Incredibly smooth 0.4mm line

3. Immediate startup, no skipping

4. Many great color options, tip sizes

5. Attractive design

I'm very happy with the colors I chose for my first set. The turquoise is smore blue when next to some inks (like the purple) and more green when next to others. It's probably my favorite color out of all of my pens.

The purple isn't very dark, but it's a nice shade that's different from most gel purples. It's grown on me a lot and looks great in combination with other colors.

I love the design of the Slicci. I think they're one of the most attractive pen types I own. They are very thin, which is a problem for some, but I have very small hands. I do find the Signo DX more comfortable, though.

In movie news, I went to see New Moon last night. I was planning on posting my thoughts, but I'm still too angry to collect everything together cohesively. (I'm clearly not a fan of Twilight and it's sequels, so keep that in mind if I do post about any of it.)

-Taylor

Uni-ball Signo DX 0.38mm and Movie Dry Spell

Sorry for the terrible picture.

This is the first in the round of reviews from my first JetPens order. I got the DX 0.38mm in three colors: Green Black, Bordeaux Black, and Brown Black.

There have been tons of reviews of this pen posted on various stationery blogs, but I absolutely can't resist the chance to rave about it. Signos have not let me down yet, and this model is no exception.

Why I love them:

-comfortable barrel and grip (it's wider than the Pentel Slicci, which makes it more comfortable when writing for long period of time, in my opinion)

-light but well balanced

-immediate start up every time

-consistent, legible fine line

-very smooth for a micro tip pen

-bold, beautiful ink colors

-sturdy tip and barrel,  nothing clicks or rattles

-simple, attractice design

I tried to think of cons, but all I could come up with is that I like the look of the Slicci a little better, but I find the Signo more comfortable to write with. I ever thought I would like a tip this small this much.

This is the first pen I reach for, and I can say that right now it is my favorite pen. A close second is the 0.4mm Pentel Slicci, which I will review in the very near future.

When I started this blog, I said it would be about the pens and notebooks I'm using, the books I'm reading, and the movies I'm watching. I've posted plenty about pens and notebooks, and I'm still reading (and loving) Under the Dome. But I haven't posted about movies much. This is because recently I've been in a movie dry spell. I love movies and normally see three or four new ones a week on dvd or on tv, and I usually go to the theater two or three times a month if not more. But I haven't had a really good movie experience since I watched Kill Bill Vols. I and II a few weeks ago, and it feels like forever since I last went to the movies. There's just nothing out that has caught my attention enough to make me want to go see it. I'm posting about this because I'd love it if you'd leave me some movie recs in the comments section. They can be movies that have already been released on dvd, movies that are in theaters, or movies that are coming to theaters soon. I just need some inspiration because I'm going through serious movie withdrawal.

Next post, more JetPens goodness, and maybe I'll actually be finished with Under the Dome.

-Taylor

First JetPens order!

My JetPens order arrived yesterday! Talk about fast shipping. I don't have a lot of time to post right now because I have to go to work, but here's a picture. I'll hopefully start posting about the individual items tonight.

-Taylor

A Notebook Post: Addict Side v. Writer Side and Notebook Systems

So, a few posts back, I wrote about the new Piccadilly softcover lined book that I was switching to after filling up my next journal. I love writing in the Piccadilly, but a few days ago, I switched to a new notebook. When it comes to my notebook... um... we'll say hobby, there are two sides to my thinking. One is the notebook-addict side, the other is the writer-side. The notebook-addict side loves notebooks for their features, aesthetics, and for the pleasure of writing in them. The writer-side loves notebooks for filling up, for writing page after page, the words flowing almost too quickly to handle. The writer-side is the reason I started keeping journals when I was nine years old. The notebook-addict side came later. They don't always agree.

My notebook-addict side loves the softcover Piccadilly. My writer-side, however, hit a huge block shortly after I started using it. This is definitely not the fault of the notebook; it's just one of those things that happens sometimes. And while I was enjoying using the Piccadilly when I did write, I wasn't writing as much or as often as I wanted to. I've had this problem before. Usually the best solution is to start in a new notebook. Something bigger and cheaper usually, so I have a lot of room to scrawl and don't feel bad "messing it up." So I went to Staples and picked up two lined, one-subject notebooks for a dollar each. And boy, are they getting the job done. It was just what I needed. I hope I can go back to the Piccadilly at some point, but for right now, these are what I need to keep the words coming.

I'm also a fan of the cute covers I found. Writing in these notebooks seems to remind me not to take my writing so seriously all the time and just get the words down. Right now I'm using the one with the black and blue diamond pattern. The other plus side to these notebooks is that I usually fill them pretty fast, which gives me a little confidence boost. They're actually performing really well with all of the pens I've been using, even though they're one-dollar notebooks.

Another notebook subject I want to discuss is the "number of notebooks" question. Some people use only one notebook, preferring to keep everything together. That's the kind of person I am. For the most part, I only keep one notebook going at a time, and it includes my journalling, my fiction/poetry/etc., drafts of letters, drafts of blog posts, random notes and scribblings, anything. The only other notebooks I have are the pocket Piccadilly and the Writers Blok notebooks I keep in my purse, and they're mostly for schedules, phone numbers, that sort of thing. I just can't bring myself to split things up into separate notebooks. It makes me feel at loose ends, like everything is scattered.

Heather however, feels differently. Here's her comment from two posts ago, when I asked about the notebooks you use:

Current notebooks: Quo Vadis Habana for miscellaneous notes and ponderings, a similar-sized no-name notebook with a green embroidered cloth cover (journal), 2 hardcover composition books (one is a journal, the other is used for keeping track of the books I am reading), another no-name unruled hardcover notebook for writing down my favourite poems in, a Mead Five-Star 5-subject notebook (for school), a Mead Fat 'Lil Notebook (being used as a planner), a Heinz Jordan sketchbook (for, um, sketches), and a homemade pamphlet journal made out of watercolour paper (for my art journal). There's probably a few I'm missing, but that's the main list.

That's quite the list! I couldn't imagine trying to maintain all of those notebooks, but clearly it's the system that works for Heather. I love hearing about all of the different ways people use notebooks. I especially love Heather's notebook for her favorite poems. It's an idea I might actually try. I think that it would make a good gift (to someone who likes poetry, of course).

So, I have another question, similar to the one from two posts back. What kinds of notebooks do you use, and how is your "notebook system" organized? Are you a one-notebook-at-a-time addict like me, or do you like using a multi-notebook system like Heather? I'd love to hear from you!

I'm still waiting on my JetPens order (and still very excited). I can't wait to post about it!

-Taylor

Uniball Signo 207 RT 0.5mm

I've had only good experiences with the 0.7mm Uni Ball Signo gel pens I've used so far, and I've especially loved the blues. So when I saw this one, I just had to try it. I love, love, love it. Here are the reasons:

-smooth, consisten fine line

-great medium blue ink color

-comfortable wide grip

-retractable

-sturdy/well made, nothing loose

-started up instantly

The luck that I've had with Uni Ball Signos makes me even more excited for the ones I'm going to receive with my JetPens order.

The one (small) criticism I have about this pen is that the only ink color indicator is the click plunger part. I could see myself mixing up the colors easily.

But overall- wonderful!

-Taylor