To Kill A Mockingbird, chapters 16-The End.

I have to admit, I did really enjoy this book. I had heard really good things about it, but I also had misconceptions over what it was about. I knew it was about Jem, Scout, and Boo...but it's less about Boo than I thought. The story is obviously very important for Dill, Atticus, and Tom Robinson as well. The one part I really liked about the book was how it addressed Scout and Jem's naivety of the cruel ways of the world. I often feel as though I have had trouble accepting how harsh and unfair things can be, even though I am considerably older than Jem and Scout were in  the novel. Even though the book is from Scout's point of view, I feel as though the reader follows Jem's journey, too. I have a brother and I know that the bond siblings share is not something that can be replicated easily. Scout is acutely aware of her brother's shifts in mood, and the fact that he is at a different point in his maturation than he is. Even though they argue on occasion, they silently make up and are back to being brother and sister. I really liked how Lee portrayed their relationship throughout the book.

Dead Week

I have a program tonight, and not much time after that before my work has to be done, and I can officially stop stressing. A while ago, I stumbled upon 8Tracks, and didn't think to use it in the classroom or anything, but today it came in very handy! Music is frequently my outlet- I use to influence my mood on days that could be improved. Today, I used it to help me stay focused... you may think you can't focus on work while music is playing, but I beg to differ! 8 Tracks offers music for any and every occasion. They have playlists such as:

• Music to stare at the ceiling to.
• Songs to listen to if you're having trouble sleeping.
• Songs to listen to when all you need to do is cry.
• Songs to listen to if you're energetic!
• Music Coffee.

And so on... several playlists have been designed for this specific week, and next week also. These playlists are called, for example:

• Songs for the reluctant study-er.
• Study Mix for Finals week 2010
• DESTROY YOUR FINALS

And so on and so forth... I find that sitting in silence allows me to get sidetracked SO easily, so putting on a study mix was super helpful! Maybe it was just mind over matter; maybe since it had study in the title, I was able to stay more focused... regardless- I feel like i got a lot more done today!

To Kill A Mockingbird, chapters 10-16.

Bear with me for a second:
In my EDU class, we're discussing moral development (a HUGE theme in TKAM, I think). The unit discusses the different ways people judge their actions at different ages; for example, young children judge actions based on direct outcomes, whereas teenagers and adults judge actions based on intention. However, this is not always true. Adults tend to think like children when they are annoyed or angry, which in turn, teaches the child a very important lesson about their actions... Our text book used this example: A mother is very busy cooking dinner, and her son wants a glass of milk. In order to not disturb his mother, the child tries to pour the milk himself but ends up spilling it. The mother is irritated by this and scolds the boy. She has not taken into consideration the fact that her son's intention was to try and be independent so as to not take the mother away from her work, but instead the mother focused on the consequence: a big, milky mess. The child, in defending himself, considers his intention to help his mother.

This lesson popped into my head when I was reading TKAM, specifically the chapter in which Scout, Jem, and Dill go to town late at night to see where Atticus is, and jump to defend him when he is confronted by townsmen. Instead of getting angry that his children are out of bed and sneaking around late at night, Atticus recognizes that their actions were out of concern and love for their father. It became clear to me when I was reading this, that that has been Atticus's general attitude throughout the whole book. He has the ability to look beyond the outcomes of things, to the intentions of the actions that caused those outcomes. I think it is that ability that leads the reader to interpret Atticus as such a gentle-hearted, kind, patient man.

At the end of chapter 16, the trial has just begun...I'm excited (and nervous!) I can't wait to pick the book up again.

To Kill A Mockingbird, chapters 2-9

I guess the progression of this story is nice... I like the development of the family side of things... the sense of family connectedness is there, as well as the conflicts that often are present within immediate and extended family. I find it strange that Scout and Jem call their father by his name, though. That seems so odd. Also, while I said earlier that I liked the introduction of characters, I think now I have met too many characters for me to remember, and am getting confused when they are each reintroduced in minor ways. Also, I'm confused about the Finch family in that Atticus said they were poor, but not very poor, yet he is a lawyer and they have a car... I don't know what time period this is either, so I have a hard time picturing the story playing out. Maybe it is my ignorance of history that makes it difficult for me to understand, but it's frustrating. Scout's naivety and innocence obviously makes her character endearing, but in a cliche kind of way. I'm undecided on this book so far... I don't love it as of right now, but I'm holding out hope because I've heard good things.

To Kill a Mockingbird, chapters 1&2.

I just started To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. It's an easy read so far...nothing significant has happened yet, don't think, but Lee has introduced and overviewed the characters clearly, so that I can tell that they will come into play soon. I think his unique and interesting description of the characters, from Scout Finch's point of view is what keeps the reader's attention.

Break :)

I'm currently relaxing with that little stinker of a cat, pictured at the top of my blog. I'm also checking Mashable, where I've so far found this: An article on the importance of technology in education in Haiti.
I recommend checking it, and other articles out!

It's Kind of a Funny Story

I just finished this book, and didn't have the opportunity to post along the way of reading it. You see, I worked an eight and a half hour shift on Thanksgiving Day, and because my job is almost devoid of any actual responsibility, I read the entirety of the novel in one sitting (it's 444 pages).  It's a realistic fiction work, and is was actually turned into a movie. I read through it very quickly. All of a sudden I was 200 pages in and didn't know how I got there. It's a page turner, not in the sense that it's suspenseful, but that the main character, Craig's story is so easy to relate to that you just keep reading because you're rooting for him. He has some neurotic tendencies, but beyond that, he is just experiencing teen angst. Vizzini uses colorful language for the inner monologue of Craig, which is often describing the enormous amounts of stress he feels as a teenager. All I could do was say "Yes! That's exactly how it feels!" It was definitely a good novel...not outstanding, but good, and moreso interesting, in that it's not a classic teen boy-meets-girl type novel, but instead deals with more serious issues than that. Because it is told from the perspective of a boy entering high school, I would definitely recommend this to a student of a similar age.

My Progress in this Class...

First, I think it is important to say that I really enjoy this class! It's also one of the few required classes that I can actually envision myself applying directly to my own classroom someday. The variety of literature, the mini-lessons- it all contributes to an effectively run classroom. I am currently on my fourth independent reading book (Fahrenheit 451), my blog is being well kept (I think), my conference paper is lacking (basically nonexistant), and my Nicenet posts are nowhere to be found. Super! That last bit is mainly because I still don't know the Nicenet password. I plan on really buckling down on my project and reading over Thanksgiving break. That's my plan. Also, I have another mini-lesson in mind, but I'm going to keep looking for other resources to share. The stress of the semster is really beginning to weight heavily on me, but that happens every semester... So even if I have to forfeit sleep for a week, I promise I'll get it all done!

Conference Proposal

I did my first conference proposal a few weeks ago... and didn't make any progress on it. I actually decided today that I wanted to do a totally new topic. So, I rewrote it, and I like it, so far! However, this is really the only progress I have made on my Conference Paper. The difference is, I actually really like my new subject: cultural diversity in the classroom! I'm focusing on the appreciation of differing lifestyles and why they should be tolerated and accepted, as opposed to negatively targeted. I also now have a much better, more complete picture of what this project is supposed to look like... I'm actually looking forward to getting feedback on my proposal so that I can continue developing what I believe to be a very important lesson!

Three books down!

I just finished reading my third book, entitled The Trouble With Jeremy Chance. It's historical fiction, and I actually really enjoyed it (historical fiction isn't normally my cup of tea). The main character, Jeremy is twelve years old, and won my heart within the first chapter. The story follows his journey from Derry, New Hampshire to Boston, Massachusetts, where he is going to meet his brother who is coming back from World War I. It's a classic coming-of-age story, and a very quick read. I definitely recommend this book! The language is interesting to read, as the characters use interesting phrases, often utilizing metaphors and similes. Jeremy is effective in explaining what life is like for him to the reader, while staying in context. It's a very easy and very enjoyable read!

Two books down...

I just finished Crash Boom Love, by Juan Felipe Herrera. I unintentionally got carried away with the post on my independent reading page, so please refer to that for my thoughts on that wonderful read!


I also just started reading The Trouble With Jeremy Chance: A Novel of the Freat Molasses Flood, by George Harrar. Milkweed offers a nice review of it. I'm barely 40 pages in (It's only 143), but I so far find it very clever. The main character, Jeremy Chance is an endearing 12 year old boy, living during World War I. The picture of life back then is painted clearly and easily, as the story line progresses. It's an easy read and I'm enjoying it so far!


On a completely different note, I found this story on CNN.com today: A woman's employment is compromised based on a Facebook post!

Time to go work on my proposal...

The End.

I just finished Brave Girl Eating...it's hard to really say anything without giving too much away. The conclusion of the book is almost anticlimactic. That was my initial thought. However, I didn't feel as though it didn't finish, or wasn't worth it, or anything of the sort. The end being anticlimactic drove home the point that the battle against anorexia never really ends. There really was no other way to finish the book. Kitty couldn't just all of a sudden be recovered completely. There's not a definitive happy-ending moment. I don't want to give too much away but I definitely recommend this book!

This is how I'm feeling today.

I can't wait until break!

Brave Girl Eating, take 4.

Harriet Brown employs so many powerful ways of writing into her book. There is not one way that she writes every chapter; they differ in perspective, almost. Several chapters are informational. She is the mother doing her research on her child's illness, and her findings are shocking, and open the reader's eyes to the facts that accompany anorexia nervosa. Most sufferers of this disease never fully recover. Anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates accompanying a mental disorder, with the rate being measured as high as 20%. It affects mainly women in developed countries, beginning usually around age 17.
Brown really delves into her creative writing in the chapters in which she emotionally confides to the reader. Her pain is clear and deep, and often brings me to tears. She feels helpless, confused, and tired, but at the same time, incredibly resilient. Brown also tells the stories of day to day life, and how they differ with how things used to be, and how they differ from the life of a family not suffering from this illness... that's another point. It's not just Brown's daughter Kitty suffering- it is the entire family. Suddenly their conversations revolve around food and calorie intake. The story changes with their lives, reflecting the ups and downs that Kitty experiences in fighting this disease. Brown refers frequently to a "demon" present within Kitty. Sometimes Kitty is unwilling to be helped, and turns against her parents in fits of rage. The tons of these scenes is scary and emphasize how volatile Kitty's condition can be. The "demon" will show up out of the blue and take over Kitty's willpower to recover. It is the part of the illness that Harriet despises most, because she cannot even recognize her own daughter when the demon is spitting words of hate in her direction.

I haven't had much free reading time lately, but the images that Harriet creates, and the emotions she conveys have stayed with me, and I'll definitely be picking the book up again, as soon as possible.

So far...

As I've been reading, I've mainly been trying to keep in mind that someday I will be the teacher, not the student, and essentially the training for that began with college. While I am still a student obviously, I am studying to become a teacher...it's actually kind of a tricky thing- learning how to teach...trying to do two complementary actions at the same time, playing both essential roles. On numerous accounts, I read things or see things that I instantly want to incorporate into a classroom. Out of the blue inspiration. It's hard to remember though, when I am immersed in a book for a class, as a student. I am struggling to stay within a teacher perspective, and I sometimes willingly let myself slip, so that I am reading something, purely for the enjoyment, and not with the intention of creating an assignment based on it afterward... however, there is always a point where I must snap back to reality and see how I can benefit from whatever I was reading, and how I can encourage others to benefit from it also.

In light of recent events...

Check this out

Mashable  is a super interesting website, with the latest news regarding technology, social networking, the media, business, etc. I recommend checking it out! I've found several articles I'd like to read already, and I opened the web page, maybe 10 minutes ago. Many of the articles are relevant to the things we discuss in this class!

It's still BullBlog!

I changed the appearance of my blog quite a bit, which I will do frequently, for future reference. I thought this was much more autumn-y, and the kitty is so cute! It actually belongs to some friends of mine. Her name is Zane, and she fell asleep in the position that you see her in the picture. Precious! You'll probably be seeing more in the weeks to come.

Brave Girl Eating, take 3!

After my last post, I was unsure of how people (of the maybe three readers I have) would react. Luckily no one has yet. I just read another chapter, and in the midst of it (I can't pinpoint exactly when), I realized I was still reading as a student, rather than as a future teacher. It's hard to approach literature from such different angles! I have to consider that my students someday will only be a few years younger than I am now, as I'm studying to educate them. It blows my mind. So, as I was reading this chapter, Harriet Brown explained a small blip in her family's journey, when Kitty (her anorexic daughter) wanted to return to gymnastics, after seven weeks of recovery and re-feeding. As I mentioned, I did gymnastics for twelve years, and it contributed to my not-so-healthy eating habits. The emphasis on the body (especially in leotards) contributed to Harriet's decision to not let Kitty participate in the high school gymnastics team. Kitty lashed out, saying, "You want to take away the only thing I care about!" This is precisely how I felt when my mother pulled me out of gymnastics when I was 14. Like I said in my last post, I identified myself as a gymnast. First and foremost, I was a gymnast. Being pulled out is one of the hardest things I have ever dealt with. It may sound crazy, but when something dominates your life so much, and you are so dedicated to it, cutting it out of your life cold-turkey has devastating effects. I remember being so upset any time I looked at the clock and realized that gymnastics practice was being held at that moment and I wasn't there. I walked around in a daze, without a purpose for weeks and weeks on end. I think it was longer than that. You may think me petty to hold such a grudge against my mother for withdrawing me from an extra-curricular, but to this day, I don't know if I can honestly say I ever forgave her. It's too late to re-enroll- I'm way past my peak, but I still think about it all the time. What if I had continued? Where would I be now? Gymnastics was such an integral part of my life, that to ask myself those questions doesn't seem silly to me at all, but totally and completely valid. As I was saying- I've been reading as a student, but in my sudden realization of this, I tried to think as a teacher. While I think it would be dangerous to read this book in a high school setting (unleashing its horrors on impressionable teenage girls (and boys)), I think the way people identify themselves is an important theme in this book. While Kitty identified herself as a gymnast, students in her school identified her only as "an anorexic." Similarly, her doctors viewed her as a patient, and her friends as "recovering." Harriet's desperately tries to make it clear that her daughter, while all of those things, is none of those things. She is so much more. Only one and one's family can truly identify the parts that contribute to a person, and can recognize that the sum of the parts does not equal the whole. I think, if introduced to a high school classroom, that topic could be extensively explored in an introductory essay. Ask a student how they identify themselves. In one word. In one sentence... and then to explain that only knowing those things does not allow a person to know you completely, or even close to that. In all honesty, I think people enjoy writing and speaking about themselves. What does anyone know better, besides their own person and personality? This mentality allows for countless direction for one to take one's paper in (assuming I assign something like this one day, which I'd like to), and when someone knows their topic, inside and out, they generally take a passionate approach to it. I foresee good results!

Brave Girl Eating, take 2.

It's taken me a while to post again on this book, but rest assured, I have been reading diligently :)
Mainly, I've been reading further, and waiting to post, because I needed time to organize my thoughts about the book. Only today, I realized how powerful Brown's writing is. I have said before that every time I opened my digital library (!) to read this, I inevitable ended up crying. However, that's not what made me realize the effect this book was having on me. I know we're supposed to write about this books, but I feel this is relevant, but be warned, it's serious. As I said in a previous post, Brown specifically avoids listing weights and measurements because she does not want the book to be used as a form of thinspiration, which if it's not clear, is something people with eating disorders use as motivation to continue losing weight. It often is a collection of pictures of unbelievable thin girls, sometimes compared to people who are extremely overweight, implying that if the person with the eating disorder does eat, they will become fat and disgusting. There are also quotes about not needing food, how hunger is a weakness, and a common one: "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." So, while Harriet Brown was trying to avoid giving those with eating disorders any more motivation, the story alone forces her to spread the word of anorexia, which to many people feeling the pressures of media and family and those around them, doesn't always seem like a bad, outrageous thing. Now for my part. I have been active my entire life. I was a competitive gymnast for twelve years, I've danced for more than ten years, as well as playing soccer for school and recreational leagues. Gymnastics was my main sport. It was how I identified myself. First and foremost, I was a gymnast. It was not unheard of for gymnasts to make themselves throw up before a practice with the head coach, and it was definitely not uncommon for gymnasts to throw up before meets. The pressure to be small was overwhelming. All gymnasts know that if you are too tall, you cannot participate in competition. The apparatuses are not designed for "big" girls, "big" being around 5'6". Short, thin gymnasts were always more successful. Because I did gymnastics for so long, I was stuck with the stereotypical body of a gymnast, short, no hips, strong quads, and broad shoulders. When I began dancing more seriously, I felt the pressures of my ballet coach to lose weight. If I didn't, my coach said, "How will you partner lift you?" I was 5'2" and 100 pounds, underweight by ten pounds according to my doctor. The pressure didn't end with my extracurricular activities. My mother has always been fit, but I know there have been times in her life when she has cracked under the pressure to be skinny. My grandmother, perhaps not knowing the weight of her words, has mentioned my mother's weight in negative ways, asking if she's changed her eating habits, been less active, etc. My mother herself has told me that she struggled in college- not to maintain normal body weight- but to want to maintain a normal body weight. She was a physical therapy major, taking ballet classes everyday of the week, so she knew what her body could handle and what it could not, and at 5'5", she weighed about 111 pounds. That isn't severe, but she should have been about 15 pounds heavier, to be in a healthy weight zone. She has told me that there were times when she knew what she was doing wasn't good for her, and although she put it vaguely (so as to not really confess her eating disorder), she made it clear that she was warning me to not let the same happen to me. This conversation happened after I had confided in one of her coworkers, who was giving me a ride home after school. I had mentioned not liking school food, and that at lunch, instead of getting food, I would just get a piece of gum. The taste was there, but the consumption was not. This was during my junior year of high school. I had entered tenth grade at about 120 pounds, and 5'3". Average. I felt though, that I had entered high school (our high school building began with 10th grade), as fat. After that, I went to extreme measures to lose weight, such as chewing gum instead of eating meals. When I entered 11th grade, I weighed 95 pounds. I was ecstatic that I was back down to double digits.
      Reading Brave Girl Eating has brought back so many of these familiar feelings, of the desire to be small, and the ability to do it. I know I can, I have before, and it wouldn't be that difficult to do it again. Yesterday, it really hit me how serious this could be. I woke up late, sleeping in on Sunday like I normally do, til noon-ish. I ate an apple (approximately 80 calories)...and that was it. I spent the day reading Brave Girl Eating, which mentioned Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, a book about gymnasts and figure skaters that had dealt with eating disorders. I also found a blog called "Medusa" which I'm now following, and battles eating disorders. By 5pm, I felt like I was going to faint. I grabbed a handful of crackers and a water...which I promptly threw up. Then I drank more water...and threw up...and ate pretzels... and threw up. My stomach had never settled, and I couldn't keep anything down. I was shaky, dizzy and flushed. After one day of extreme food restriction, I was terrified that I would pass out. At the same time though, the voice in the back of my head was telling me, "Job well done." I looked up the normal, healthy calorie consumption for girls my size, weight, and activity level. I should be eating just over 1700 calories a day...I had eaten just 80. I remembered my best friend deal with anorexia, and on top of the sickness I had felt that day, I decided I am determined to not let this book let me slip into past habits.
     My point of this post was not to ask for your pity, or look for attention, by any means. I was just astonished with how quickly and powerfully words pulled me back to old habits that I have been resisting for a while now. While I wish to be happy with my body, this story brings back painful memories, and empathy for anyone that has ever been in a similar position. I haven't finished it yet, but I would definitely recommend this book...however, read with caution. If you've ever considered extreme changes to your body, by extreme methods...know that this book may remind you of those feelings. I'm comfortable talking about it now, because I know I don't have the willpower to ever do anything drastic like Kitty, the main character of Brave Girl Eating. Also, this post speaks to the power of words, especially when they are in place to convey the actual experiences of the author.

More from my hometown!

In my hastiness (and desire) to read Brave Girl Eating: A Family's Struggle with Anorexia, I didn't consider what genres I had to fulfill for Workshop. So, I went online (of course) to see if it was formally classified. I found out that along with the screewriter for The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin, whom I mentioned a few posts back, the author of Brave Girl Eating, Harriet Brown, is also and alumnus of Syracuse University. Syracuse.com posted an article about her story back in August.

I'm really impressed with the people that have come out of my hometown! However, I still don't know if this will contribute to further progress on my genre checklist!

Brave Girl Eating, take one.

I just started Brave Girl Eating yesterday. I finally felt that page-turning motivation that I haven't felt with IHTSBIH. I didn't realize that Brave Girl Eating is the true story of the author, Harriet Brown, and her daughter, Kitty Brown's long and arduous ordeal with anorexia nervosa. In the prologue to the book, Harriet Brown specifically states that she purposefully did not list specific weights, BMIs, etc. She understands the significant role that numbers play to anyone who has dealt with an eating disorder. Brown does not intend for the book to be "thinspiration." Her feelings towards her daughter's sickness, and the way it tore her family apart really spoke to my emotions. I found myself with tears in my eyes even before chapter one. I can't wait to get back to my digital reader and continue!

Tucker Max in my hometown!

I'm from Syracuse, NY, and live about ten minutes away from Syracuse University. This past Sunday, Tucker Max, author of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, and it's sequel, Assholes Finish First, was at Syracuse University for a book signing! Here are a few links to the event, from Syracuse University's news site, 'The Daily Orange':
"Author Tucker Max brings quick wit to Follett's book signing"
And a video!
This is a link to the trailer for the MOVIE version of I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.


Also, in light of recent events regarding cyber bullying in virtual social areas such as Facebook, the screenwriter of 'The Social Network,' a movie based on the creation of and drama around Facebook, is an alumnus of Syracuse University. Here's a link to an article in 'The Daily Orange' about that! And here's the trailer. It came out in theatres last Friday, October 1st. The movie puts the creator of Facebook in a negative light, and in hopes of combatting that negative image, he has recently donated large sums of money to charity.

Let's not beat around the bush. (IHTSBIH)

Alright, I had heard some things about this book-- it being a hilarious documented version of Tucker Max's driunken sexcapades and wild adventures. However! It's a lot more graphic than I had anticipated! Not intended for children, mothers, or anyone that is easily offended by profanity and/or frequent and politically incorrect references to anatomy.
I want to clarfiy this as well: I have been referring to each snippet as chapters, implying that they must be read in order. This is not the case. You can read any of them in any order. I am mainly referring to them as chapters because some of the titles are rather inappropriate...but I've decided to just share the list with you (because we're all adults here), and if you don't like them, this is not the book for you!

• The Famous Suchi Pants Story
• The Night We Almost Died
• The Blowjob Follies
• Everyone has "That" Friend
• Tucker F***s a Fat Girl, Hilarity Ensues
• The Now Infamous Tucker Max Charity Auction Debacle
• Quite The Vacation
• Tucker Goes To Vegas
• Floss
• The Foxfield Trip
• The Austin Road Trip
• My Key West  Trip
• Girl Beats Tucker At His Own Game
• Tucker Tries Butt Sex; Hilarity Does Not Ensue
• This'll Just Hurt A Little
• The UT Weekend
• The Pee Blame
• Tucker Goes to a Hockey Game
• The Absinthe Donuts Story
• The Most Disturbing Conversation Ever
• She Won't Take No for an Answer
• Tucker Ruptures His Appendix
• The Sex Stories
• Tucker Has A Moment of Reflection; Ends Poorly
• The Dog Vomit Story
• The Midland, Texas, Story
• The Worst Tucker Story Ever
• Snoop Story
• Tucker Goes 3-Minute Dating; Hilarity Ensues
• The Tucker Max Book Tour

...Enjoy, if you want!

IHTSBIH, Chapters 5 through 10

I'm not going to give you a summary of each of these chapters, but I'll try to hit the highlights/warn you:

Chapter 5: Potentially very offensive...(that applies to the whole book, but especially to Chapter 5)
Chapter 6: A lesson in business, actually. Still the raunchy comedy that Tucker Max promised, but this story takes place at a work function, when Max was a summer associate at a law firm called Fenwick & West, between his second and third years of law school at Duke.
Chapter 7: Pornographic.
Chapter 8: A prime example of  Tucker Max story. A Tucker Max story includes one of, usually most of, if not all of the following elements: women, alcohol, bad decisions, incredible luck, odd circumstances, more women, and more alcohol.
Chapter 9: Definitely emphasized the fact that this book should not be handed to anyone under the age of... at least 17, and that's pushing it, because I'm only 18, and naturally I think I'm mature and shpould be allowed to read such inappropriate literature.
Chapter 10: Pretty funny! A play-by-play style of narration, for example:

11:00pm: We are eating Mexican food and drinking beer. GoldenBoy regales us with wistful tales of  Foxfield. He describes a weekend of virtually unlimited alcohol, raucous drinking, food spreads to rival great medieval halls, and girls in sundresses with negotiable morals.

11:15: Hate and I ask him why we aren't going. He doesn't have a satisfactory answer. We demand to leave immediately. He balks. We call him out. Doubt his manhood. Inquire as to his sexual preference and conjecture that he is of bastard French origin.

ETCETERA.

IHTSBIH, Chapters 3 and 4

This is getting entertaining. 

Chapter 3 (I will not reveal the name), is not the most... appropriate excerpt to share, for say, reading aloud. However, for the average college student, reading this on your own will guarantee some laughter, among other reactions which I cannot describe without giving away the subject of this chapter. I understand how very vague that description must have been for you, and I can only hope it will encourage you to read the book!

Chapter 4, entitled "Everyone Has "That" Friend," is HILARIOUS. I found myself laughing out loud several times, sitting all by my lonesome in my room. Tucker has some notably clever friends, and their role in his adventures makes the story funny and colorful. Perhaps Tucker is a good story-teller, or his friends are giving him REALLY good material to work with, which he is simply recounting. Either way, 

the chapter is beyond funny.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

9.8.2010:
Just started... so far finding it hilarious. I'm just hoping I can find the energy to engage in free reading time (instead of nap time). From what I've read, I've gathered the following: 

• Tucker Max thinks he's pretty cool.

• Tucker Max is, in fact, pretty cool. 

Lucky for me, we've got some free time today...I'm currently on the second chapter of I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell, which I may start abbreviating to just IHTSBIH (for future reference). Chapter two is entitled "The Night We Almost Died," and includes such characters as Hate, El Bingeroso, Motorbike Mike, Brownhole, Goldenboy, and Thomas. As Tucker states before chapter one, "My real name is Tucker Max. Unless a full name is used, all other names are pseudonyms." This didn't surprise me, until I started reading this chapter and found myself having trouble remembering all the characters with their odd names, and I ended up creating outrageous pictures of these people in my head to make it easier (Goldenboy resembles Jonny Quest, and Thomas looks like an acquaintance of mine (whose name is not actually Thomas)). While it is an entertaining story so far, I'm already finding things about Max's writing style that I find annoying.  For example, in this chapter ("The Night We Almost Died," in case you forgot), Tucker Max and his buddies are in a "redneck" bar (complete with a wrestling ring in the middle, and a mechanical bull), his friends are belligerently drunk, and picking fights with other patrons. Chaos ensues. Tucker is sober, and documenting the night's events. He says things like, 

"I run over to the ring, where the bouncers had pulled [Hate] off the ring, and were trying to calm him down. He did not respond to them agreeably.

At this point, dealing with Hate was like taking a leashed pit bull to the Westminster Dog Show. I assist the bouncers with moving Hate away from the ring..."

So, my trouble with his method of story telling is his choice of words, I guess. We (the readers) KNOW it's a chaotic mess in this bar. Tucker knows it, too. However, he uses proper language such as, "[Hate] did not respond agreeably." Sure, it's ironic that he's using such calm language in such context, but I found it obnoxious rather than clever. Problem is, I'm not done with the chapter yet, so I have to deal with this a little while longer (maybe a lot while longer, depending on whether or not Tucker Max has written the whole book this way). Hopefully the storyline will make up for the silly diction.