Like I said before, in the weeks to come I am probably going to miss a few days every now and then. I'm sorry! I've been super busy running around trying to get everything ready, babysitting all day, packing, and saying my goodbyes to all of my friends who are leaving town. And as you can see by the circles that have taken to their new home under my eyes, I'm exhausted at the end of the day... and just haven't had the time/inspiration to write about anything. I mean, I just figured no one would want to read an entire blog about how sick nasty I think the McDonald's playpen is, or my new shirt folding strategy. So, again I am sorry, I will post whenever I can! I will reach my 365 day goal!!
Today the mothership and I went shopping at Target to buy pretty much everything else I needed for my dorm, because I realized that I move out in two days and really only have my bedding, clothes, books, and movies. Which, I guess I could be happy with... but shampoo and stuff would be nice too. So many many $ later (not all spent on the shampoo) I went into Barnes and Noble and tried (okay, I didn't really try) to stay away from the teen section. But I have been wanting to look into some of John Green's books for months now! That name may sound familiar because a few blogs ago when I talked about my YouTube addictions, he makes up 1/2 of the Vlogbrothers. I have been watching their vlogs for about 7 months now and they are absolutely brilliant. And throughout this time span John Green has had a few books in the works, and would sometimes give little sneak peaks of them in his videos. And in a few of them he would talk about this book in my picture "Looking for Alaska" (who is a girl... not like the frozen country. Just F.Y.I.) and his little excerts always caught my attention. John has this amazing way of writing that makes you feel like he's just talking to you. His humor and sarcasm comes right off of the pages and I am one to genuinely appreciate that. So today, when I came across the John Green section I couldn't help but buy just one more thing for the day. And even though I'm so behind on my sleep, I know I'm going to be up so late tonight reading!
There is one selection from the book that really stuck out to me when I read it. I don't want to set it up, because it's pretty obvious what's going on. I highly recommend this book... even though I'm only 30 pages into it. I am almost certain that I will post more about it as I move further into it.
"...but our time together is short. I must talk, and you must listen, for we are engaged here in the most important pursuit in history: the search for meaning. What is the nature of being a person? What is the best way to go about being a person? How did we come to be, and what will become of us when we are no longer? In short: What are the rules of this game, and how might we best play it?"
"I'm in a class, so teach me. And teach me he did: In those fifty minutes, the Old Man made me take religion seriously. I'd never been religious, but he told is that religion is important whether or not we believed in one, in the same way that historical events are important whether or not you personally lived through them."
This short part really stuck out to me, and the part that I bolded has been running through my mind all night. Fictional or not, the words that John Green wrote are true, at least they are to me. I feel like the questions that come after the want to find meaning are questions we should each strive to find our own answers to throughout our entire lives. But I constantly find myself searching for meaning, that's a big part of who I am. And my new favorite question to ask myself next time I'm in a difficult situation is going to be: What is the best way to go about being a person, or being the best person I can be. Because as people, we mess up, we make mistakes. That's just what we do, but it's how we learn from them, it's what we take away and how we don't make them again that changes us, and shapes us that truly matters.
And the second quote I thought was just beautiful. Coming from someone who is constantly doubting, and question God and my religion, this really struck me. I hope that even if you never care to read the book you can just take something away from these brilliant words that John wrote. I can only hope that one day I can make something as beautiful and impactful as this.
Alright, this is really making me want to go read now. I feel like anyone reading this would be really mad if I didn't include the little summary from the back of the book. I must warn you, from the back it definitely sounds like it's a love story that's geared towards females... but let's be honest... that's how you sell books these days. I.E. Twilight series. (Which John Green is one of the reviewers of, quoted in the front. Just a fun fact. BFFs with Stephanie Mayer.) So guys, please don't let this turn you away from the book. It is told from a males point of view and I am 30 pages into it and it hasn't been gushy at all, just brilliant! :)
"BEFORE. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (Francois Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
AFTER. Nothing was ever the same.
LIVE.LAUGH.LOVE WASTEFULLY.
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