Slowly Typed

When you read it, it might offend you. Sorry.

alexkarpicke:

celiabeth:

there is nothing less appealing to me than reading a book on a computer screen.  why don’t people want to hold real books in they handsies anymore?  what’s so wrong with that?  is it the smell?  used book smell?  is it because you don’t want to share the joy of lending someone a book that you love?  i don’t get it.

I think your questions address a few separate things. The first has to do with the practicality of technological advances. Is reading a book on a computer screen practical? Is it better than a paper book? My opinion: no. In some cases, for example reference materials and books that are hard to get one’s hands on, I feel that digital texts are useful. Doing your reading on a computer screen entirely, though? on an iPad, Kindle whatever they have now? I just don’t like it and won’t do it.

Secondly, I think the people that embrace these types of technology aren’t necessarily authentic readers. I don’t mean to sound pretentious saying that, like we’re some kind of elite group of readers, but I kind of enjoy the whole package of reading. Some people read only for certain things: news, scores, information etc, but some people read because they need a good story, want to experience someplace they could never experience otherwise or want to learn something about themselves. Some people intimately engage with books, others don’t. I don’t feel you can intimately engage with a Kindle. It isn’t the same. Maybe that is why some people like them. It’s more like numbing your mind online than reading.

Furthermore, the book smell is nice, I like it. I like bending the cover over and holding the thing in my hand. I like turning the pages with my finger tips. I like WRITING in them. I like book lights. And, yeah, I like handing a book to my friend and saying, “you might like this.”

Thank you, Celia, for asking fun questions.

I agree with everything you’ve said about how books rule. However, you should realize that the big push for these digital book formats and reading devices is not exclusively coming from readers themselves. Book publishers would LOVE to have everyone pay $10-$15 for a book that they aren’t allowed to make copies of, share with friends, and read on other devices. What will happen to libraries? These are institutions that, in the eyes of publishers, are the worst book pirates in the world, but they can do it in the name of education, etc. The publishing companies are out to make lots of money with these plans. I cringe every time I hear that schools are looking to go paperless…bookless. Wouldn’t it suck to have to buy a digital text from the publisher for every class you take? This would annihilate the used book market, and readers would really suffer in the end: cognitively, financially, and olfactorily.

Really great show. No one plays guitar like Ira. Here’s the setlist.

Shaker
More Stars Than There Are In Heaven
Avalon Or Someone Very Similar
Periodically Double Or Triple
Walking Away From You
Here To Fall
If It’s True
Mr. Tough
I’m On My Way
Tom Courtenay (Acoustic)
When It’s Dark
From a Motel 6
Deeper Into Movies
Decora
Nothing To Hide
Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind
-
Gentle Hour
Autumn Sweater
Some Kind of Wonderful (Grand Funk Railroad)
Did I Tell You
-
Dreaming (Blondie?)

Ok, here’s the most interesting poster hanging on my dorm room wall…a Jeff Tweedy concert poster. I’m not usually one to buy concert posters. They’re expensive, a pain to carry around the show, and I’d much rather a vinyl record. Also, usually Alison buys these, because she has lots of wall space for them. However, when I saw this poster, I immediately jumped into the merch line to buy it at the Tweedy show in Kzoo.

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I’d like to blame Nate for getting me back into X-Files. I used to watch this show when I was little, because my parents were big fans. Anyways, it’s my favorite TV show next to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Alison got me this poster for Christmas, and it was a great surprise.

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When Sherman Alexie came to GVSU last year, I went to every single event on campus that featured him. He’s pretty much my favorite author. I also took a class where we read his books all semester and met with him during his visit. At this one book talk he did about War Dances, someone printed a limited number of these posters with text from the story and a great illustration. Needless to say, Alexie was impressed.

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I guess I’m 20 days late at this particular game, but I thought I’d make a list of my current favorite albums from the 2000s. Only one album per artist, though. There’s no particular order. Click read more to see this thing. Oops, I explicated a bit.

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Most of everyone knows that I’m obsessed with Pokémon. I don’t try to hide it. Two summers ago I logged something like 200 hours playing the DS game on the bus, in my bed, on the toilet, and in class. It’s the best game ever created. Once I had a resident bring me a Pokémon poster after a trip to Meijer. I bought the other one of the original 150 (we say the Kanto region or first gen) at a garage sale down the road from my house for $1.

The Sinnoh region poster is cool, but I’m always annoyed because the Pokémon are in alphabetical order. Who would do that? It’s way more fun to see them layed out in a way such that can see the evolution lines like in the poster on the left.

When I used to work in the radio station at GVSU, they had all sorts of posters laying around. I saw Awesome Color open for Dinosaur Jr, and they were really sweet. Also, they are on Thurston Moore’s label. So yeah, I snagged this from the station.

The artwork is funny, because it doesn’t exactly fit the music. There isn’t much psychedelic about AC, they’re just really loud.

I found this old Pabst Blue Ribbon sticker at my grandparent’s house over last Thanksgiving. I thought it looked cool even though I’ve never drank the stuff. I think I’m a beer snob, but I still want to taste what the rave is all about, or maybe its just the price.

I thought I’d do a boring little tour of the stuff stuck to my room’s walls. Why not? I’m starting with the least interesting and working my way up.

I got this poster at one of those GV poster fairs where they rip off freshman for really lame posters of cover art from Abbey Road, Audrey Hepburn shots, and Family Guy. This poster is pretty cool, though. Also, this album is the reason I am friends with Tim, but that’s a story for another day.

The reason that silly putty is that eraser pink color is because other colors leave stains on your hands. I got these green and red things of silly putty for Christmas (special edition!) and they leave a color residue behind. The green kind makes my hands look like cold zombie hands with a slight tint of green. The red makes my hands pink and look sore or raw like I was just lifting something heavy without work gloves on. Just thought you should know that sticking to the undyed pink silly putty is ideal for your silly putty needs.

I’m trying to collect Neil Young’s discography on vinyl. Here’s my checklist. I’m probably going to skip mostly everything from the 80s until I have everything else. Landing on Water is a nightmare. I’m about to jump on some eBay auctions for Ragged Glory (awesome album) and Zuma. The 90s stuff is super rare and some records like Harvest Moon go for up to $100 depending on the condition. Wish me luck; it will take me years.

60s:
Neil Young
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

70s:
After the Gold Rush
Harvest
Time Fades Away
On The Beach
Tonight’s the Night
Zuma
American Stars ‘N Bars
Comes a Time
Rust Never Sleeps
Live Rust

80s:
Hawks & Doves
Re-ac-tor
Trans
Everybody’s Rockin’
Old Ways
Landing on Water
Life
This Note’s for You
Freedom

90s:
Ragged Glory
Weld
Harvest Moon
Sleeps with Angels
Mirror Ball
Broken Arrow

00s:
Silver & Gold
Are You Passionate?
Greendale
Prairie Wind
Living with War
Chrome Dreams II
Fork in the Road
Le Noise 

If you can’t see the crossed out items click this.