Life of Pi

I just finished Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The beginning and the end were amazing. Getting through the middle was hard, but the ending made it all worth it. It was disarmingly funny, tragic, thought-provoking, sad, and beautiful. I highly recommend this book but only if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge. This is definitely not a fluff book.

One of the more interesting themes running through the book is irrational vs. rational. Pi is an irrational number and also the name of the protagonist. In the book he tries to reconcile science and faith. A conclusion he seems to come to is that you cannot explain the irrational with rational. I will not give anything away.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book are as follows:

"I can well imagine an atheist's last words: "White, white! L-L-Love! My God!" and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, "Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain," and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story" (64).

"If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams" (XII).

"And what a story. The first thing that drew me in was disbelief. What? Humanity sins but it's God's Son who pays the price? I tried to imagine Father saying to me, 'Piscine, a lion slipped into the llama pen today and killed to llamas. Yesterday another one killed a black buck. Last week two of them ate the camel. The week before it was painted storks and grey herons. And who's to say for sure who snacked on our golden agouti? The situation has become intolerable. Something must be done. I have decided that the only way the lions can atone for their sins is if I feed you to them'" (53).

"I went to temple at crowded times when the Brahmins were too distracted to come between God and me" (71).

"How true it is that necessity is the mother of invention, how very true" (139).

"The voice said, 'I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen'"(148).

"Can there be any happiness greater than the happiness of salvation? The answer--believe me--is No" (234).

"In both stories the ship sinks, my entire family dies, and I suffer...So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can't prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?" (317).


That is just a glimpse at the gems found in this book. Go pick up a copy and tell me what you think! Enjoy.

These are a few of my NOT favorite things

1.PLACE- Hmmm...I'd have to agree with Sarah on the Wal-Mart answer. Try working there for nearly 3 years. Yeah. Now I hate it cause I go there and spend money I don't have. Oy.

2.GAME- Risk. Enough said.

3.BOOK- There are very few books that I can actually say I don't like. I usually steer clear of books that I know I won't like. And if I'm reading a book I don't like I've gotten to the point where I can seriously just put it down and never think about it again. One book I wish I'd done that with was A Pyromaniac's Guide to Houses in New England. Something like that. It was a waste of time. No point to the story whatsoever.

4.SOUND- Beeping alarm clocks which is why I use the radio on my alarm.

5.TV/RADIO HOST- I'm sure this is sacrilegious but Glenn Beck annoys me. Not that he's not cool. Maybe I just get too much of him at work. We have "An Unlikely Mormon" playing nonstop there. Enough already!

6.STYLE OF DANCE- I love dancing! My least favorite is American style dances. It makes me sound un-fun but I don't really like swing dancing. I like the triple step, but all the other hootinanny I don't particularly care for.

7. CANDY- black licorice. nasty.

8.ANIMAL- Sharks. My most favorite is lions and giraffes.

9.TIME OF DAY- Morning.

10.PERSON- I don't like this question. Like I'm really going to say who I don't like.

11.FOOD- Tomatoes and onions are evil.

2. DRINK- I'm not a fan of grape sodas. I used to be when I was little. But not so much anymore.

3. BAND/MUSIC GROUP/SINGER- I cannot stand the Jonas Brothers.

4. SEASON- winter. give me spring, summer, and/or fall any day.

5. SPORT- golf

6. MOVIE- Eagle Eye is up there just cause of the gay ending.

7. ACTOR- the new Tom Cruise (although I have to admit he was back in his game in Valkyrie and Mission Impossible 3)

8. ACTRESS- Jennifer Love Hewitt or Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's a tossup.

9. TV SHOW- I agree, Sarah, reality shows are lame.

10. RESTAURANT - Perkins

11. CAR- I'm not sure.

12. HOLIDAY- Valentines

13. CLOTHING ON THE OPPOSITE SEX - those nasty snowboot shoes that girls tuck their pants into. If it's done right it's a pretty sexy look, but it can be done very wrong.

14. COLOR- Blue even though I wear it a lot and it goes with just about everything. I think I don't like it because it's almost becoming a neutral.

15. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY- fishing

Valentines Shmalentines

So I am single on Valentines Day. Again. I don't usually care for this holiday and this year I'm particularly not fond of it because, yet again, I don't have anyone to call my Valentine. I was at work last night and overheard a woman talking on the phone. A snippet of her conversation made me think. She said, "I just don't think I need a holiday to make him feel special." How tender. I think she meant it as a rebellion against Valentines Day, but she is really only celebrating the purpose more vigorously by being so adamant against it. Does that make sense? St. Valentine was executed for secretly marrying couples. Really, secret love is what Valentines Day is all about. None of this huge display of affection stuff you see today. So...this woman at my work place was, in actuality, celebrating the true meaning of Valentines by keeping her love between her and her husband and not proclaiming it to the world with gifts and flowers and all that jazz.

I'm sure I'd be singing a different tune if I had someone to call my Valentine sweetheart. To an extent I agree with the woman I overheard yesterday. You shouldn't need a day set aside to tell your sweetheart that you love them and show your affection toward them. But what harm is there? I mean...really.

One Valentines Day a couple years ago I decided that I was going to send flowers to a girl no matter if we were dating or not. So I picked a girl that I had had my eye on for a bit. She was in my American lit. class. She was from Tennessee so she had this fun little accent. For all intents and purposes I was just doing this to be nice. I wasn't trying to make the moves on her. Silly me. I should have known that it would be misread. She thanked me for the flowers and then she was awkward around me the rest of the semester because she actually did have someone she was starting to date. Talk about feeling retarded. Oh well...I felt good for the fact that I was able to send someone flowers on that day.

If I ever feel inclined to do something like that again please stop me.

I really don't know what I'm trying to say in this post. Guess I just needed to clear my thoughts about this whole holiday. I support it in its true form as a secret love celebration with none of its hooplah. I despise it when I'm single during it because I don't get to partake in the joy of sending a gift to someone. But I do think it's okay to have a holiday set aside where you can pay special attention to your significant other.

So for those of you who have a Valentine this year, please, DON'T COMPLAIN! (*cough cough* Mike) It's falling on deaf ears here. I'm sick of hearing complaints because, hey, at least you have someone to call your Valentine. There are those of us who are painfully aware of their singlehood on this day, and we'd prefer to be in your place if you don't want to be.

Thank you very much.

And Happy Valentines Day!

Bytlockly

Okay so the rules are simple. Just do what each ones says then tag 10 of your friends and laugh. Have FUN!

this is goofy

1. YOUR REAL NAME:
Jacob Bruce Taylor

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3or four letters of real name plus izzle)
Jacizzle

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal)
Yellow Lion

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number)
Bruce Oaktrail

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Tayja

6. YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, and favorite drink)
Orange Sprite

7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of a siblings first name, and last letter of your moms first name).
Aythubl

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names).
LeRoy Phillips

9 . YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets).
Black Hadjii

10 . YOUR HOOD NAME:....first 3 of your first name and add -iqua....
Jaciqua

11. What will you repost this as? (1st letter of middle name; last letter of siblings first name, first letter of your last name, and add lockly)
Bytlockly

Some Random Questions

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?:

No, unless you count Israel from the Bible

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? hmmm...I think I got choked up last week...

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Sometimes although it's getting worse lately

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? ham of deliciousness

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Negative, but I have a beautiful niece and perfect little twin nephews.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Only if the other person that I was was also an English nerd. j/k

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Use it and abuse it, my friend.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope. I lost them in the 8th grade and haven't been able to find them since.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? If I were being paid a lot of money. heh...

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Honey Nut Cheerios, Apple Jacks, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Frosted Mini Wheats...I could go on and on for as I am a cereal connoiseur.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yep, unless I'm in a hurry

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? cookies and cream

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Eyes and/or smile

15. RED OR PINK? Red

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My OCD tendencies.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Brittany, Patrice, and my Grandma Phillips

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Only if they have time

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
tan khaki pants and no shoes just white socks

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Colbie Caillat--my iPod is shuffling songs---now it's David Nail

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? yellow-green

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Mom's roast after church, homemade bread at Grandma Taylor's, girls

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My sister Kate

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? It wasn't really sent...

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? soccer, football, baseball

27. HAIR COLOR? brown

28. EYE COLOR? brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Italian

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? both are pretty sweet

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 10,000 BC

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? blue

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? SUMMER no contest

35. HUGS OR KISSES? both are fantastic

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? chocolate chip cookies

37. IF YOU COULD MAKE A WISH? To travel to the UK

38. WHAT (in general) IRRITATES YOU? bad drivers, snow, and hypocrites.

39. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING NOW?
Life of Pi by Yann Martel

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have one

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? It was the awesome Monday lineup: The Closer, Trust Me, Medium

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? music on my ipod, Gigi's laugh, typing fingers on a keyboard, piano music

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Kaua'i, Hawai'i

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can fall asleep pretty much as soon as my head hits the pillow.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Heber City, UT

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? All ya'all's.

48. WHERE DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? In the future. Heh...

Just for Laughs

Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video is unique and has caused quite an internet phenomenon. I personally really like the video. It's got great dancing, even if the song is a tad annoying, it's still catchy.

First, the original video.

Now, something to make you laugh.

Enjoy!

The Picture of Dorian Gray

In my senior capstone class we were given a list of novels and told to pick one to read. After reading the novel, we were supposed to create a Power Point, a visual interpretation, and a reading guide.

The novel I picked was Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. It was an amazing book because it made me think about the nature of evil and how it has so many varying degrees. Another cool part of the book was the concept of revealing and concealing. The main characters are never what they seem, particularly Dorian Gray and Lord Henry. Sibyl Vane is the least vain character of the whole book, yet her last name is a play on the word "vain." There are so many layers to this novel; it was surely a treat. And I recommend it, highly, to anyone. It is really accessible. If you have read any of Wilde's plays (Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband) then you will definitely love this book even if it is a lot darker than any of his other works.