Monday, January 08, 2007

Sports, Sneak Attacks, and Books

Sports Stuff
Lots of sports stuff has happened lately. Great NFL playoffs, Cowboys lose in a wild finish (as it turns out I caught the game while playing poker with my sister and her friends!).

I've been watching most of the Suns' matches too, I usually take the opportunity to catch their games if I'm too tired to read or do something constructive. I really love watching their games, they have a great style and the perfect game plan, unbelievable how consistent they are. They keep winning, they crushed the Warriors last night.

The only problem is I love lying down on the couch or the floor when I watch these games, and that is when Rambo sneaks into the room. Then he usually sneaks over to where I am. I tend to be very into the game, or too tired to notice him, and before I can comprehend his presence he's already sunk his shark teeth into my arm! He's crazy. He starts barking at me, or trying to bite me some more. I think it's because he wants attention, he wants to play, poor little guy. I wish I could play with him in those moments but sometimes I'm too tired for that. I'll usually let him go outside in the yard, and I make sure to point out all the birds and rabbits, sitting pretty in the grass, munching away on seeds and feeding on the luscious grass. I'll whisper something into Rambo's ear, something along the lines of, "Look at that smug little bastard bird, look how goddamn content he is, walking about, with his chest all poofed out. Look, he's just pecking away in our yard, no worries in the world. He doesn't care about you. He doesn't respect you and your shark teeth!"

That gets Rambo going, he hates having other creatures in the yard, especially creatures that don't properly respect and fear him!

Books Stuff
I've been able to read a lot, as I've mentioned before. I started a really interesting French book, Les Faux-Monnayeurs (translated to The Counterfeiters in English) by Andre Gide. My parents got this book for me a while back. I've never read any of this author's books, I've heard a bit about him though, mostly about his best known book, L'immoraliste.

So far the book is pretty interesting, one of the main characters is very autobiographical (I assume). This character is very introspective and talks about lots of different things, has some interesting thoughts on art and life and all that. It's nice, I like getting a sense of the author's persona and ideas. I mean, not all books are meant to be intimate or about the author, but sometimes it's cool to feel that there is total transparency between the author and his writing. Like the writer is hiding nothing. It all depends on the books purpose of course, sometimes it's better when you don't even have to think about the author, and can just think about the story itself without worrying about the writer. Anyways, I'm not that far into this book, but I have a feeling it's mostly a meditation on art and life. Cool by me.

Quick thing. I totally loved this line in Gide's book, and I think it's true in certain respects, not necessarily about the British, but just the idea in general. A lady in Gide's book is telling her lover, who has just cheated with her:
"You remind me of certain British people; the more their thinking is emancipated, the more they attach themselves to morals; it's reached a point where no one is as puritan as these free thinkers."

In more book news, I'm still reading lots of short stories, mostly later in the day, specially at night. I'm really loving reading scary stories right before bed. Still reading lots of Poe, just read a great one by him, William Wilson, that was one cool story. I also re-read the Masque of the Red Death, that story is really growing on me. It's funny, I usually don't re-read authors, but it's very easy to re-read Poe, his use of language is very beautiful, and there are always new things to pick up on in the writing.

Another writer of short stories I'm totally digging: HP Lovecraft!!! This guy is ridiculously great, totally dark, really freakin' scary, sometimes his writing is a little over the top, but sometimes it's just perfect. Definitely recommend him, especially if you like very scary stories, stuff that will keep you up at night! I'll recommend some of my favorite stories very soon, once I've read a couple more... I'll give you some links, there seems to be a couple sites that have his stories.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe I need to start biting for I too hate creatures in my yard that don't properly respect and fear me.

MrManuel said...

Loved watching the Cowboys lose. Funny enough, we had 16 people at my house playing poker and watching the game too. Funny...

Poor Rambo. Guy just wants to play. Can only keep a dog entertained for so long though...

Battlerocker said...

If you're looking for good use of language give Joseph Conrad a try. I have never seen an author more talented in English, and English was his second language. Just a recommendation. Also, I agree about H.P. Lovecarft--good stuff.

Tara said...

Cats bite too, sometimes to get attention, other times to pretty much say "Leave me alone!" My cat gives me a fair warning and will lick my hand before she bites.

She was just playing with her favorite, long-handled blush brush (which used to be MY favorite long-handled blush brush before she got cat spit on it). I put most of the brush under the area rug so that only the brush part is sticking out. Then I'll whisper to her "Go get it.." She focuses and puts her butt in the air and wiggles and then attacks the brush. Good times. :)

M said...

Love the story about the cat. :D

I really enjoyed reading Stephen King's short stories. Some of them are horror, some are just stories, and I found them more entertaining than his long novels.

Trey said...

I have Lovecraft plush toys. Seriously. A cuddley Cthulu (c'thuddley?) and Nyarlathotep (the cuddley chaos).

Nikki Neurotic said...

I'm looking forward to some suggestions of some scary stories...I love them, yet I hate watching most horror movies because they scare me. Go figure.

Lauren Brazeal said...

Yay! You're becoming a bookworm! : )

Hedy De Vine said...

i love that poe story! i saw an outdoor play/puppet performance of that story on halloween and it was amazing. i wish i had taken pictures of it to show you because the costumes and puppets and sets were breathtaking!

Anonymous said...

I'm totally gonna check out those book titles!

Glad you are having some fun with that crazy dog, you crazy gambler.

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

Nevermind cats and dogs biting.. TCP has a new hobby.. Bitingme and or my clothes.. Teething I guess... But it still hurts the same...lol..

Unknown said...

Hiya Seb,

Glad to see a 'book' post here. I love it!

I'm also glad you're still reading ss! Cool beans.

Have you read 'Winged Death' by Lovecraft yet? I would love to hear your tale on it. I think it's brilliant. Well...brilliant in that Ole' English writing. But what the hell.

I'm naive when it comes to Poe but is that what you would recommened? William Wilson? or Masque?

Have a good one.

Sebastien Millon said...

Bice: Biting is such great self-defense. I mean, look at Mike Tyson. Anytime someone says something I don't like I immediately grab their arm and bite it, I think that's how I got my nickname, "The Vampire."

Mrmanuel: Haha, what a coincidence! Very true about keeping a dog entertained only for so long, but you can definitely tire them out by throwing their ball and making them run for it...

Battlerocker: Yeah! Joseph Conrad, thanks! I haven't read him in years, and I think it'd kinda be like Poe, I think I'd grasp a lot more than I did when I read him in my younger days. (don't you love how I talk like I'm 80!)

Tara: Awww, your kitty sounds sooo cute! I love cats, they are so funny, especially when they play!

Mariana: Thanks for the recommendation! I've never read much Stephen King, except I started the book It, back when I was like 11 or 10, I had trouble sleeping for years after that. Just the cover of the book, that scared me out of my wits! I threw that book away, it scared me so freakin' much!

Taarzaan: Haven't read Cthulu yet! But Nyarlathotep, that must be one sexy doll!

Silverneurotic: I think we need fear! At least some of us do!

Lauren: Haha, I know, it's scary! Well, it's just soooo nice getting to read, I feel really grateful and so much more appreciative. After having been deprived for much of this past year, I feel like I've found a new depth of enjoyment in lots of things, reading been one of those! Specifically the fact that I can actually think about what I'm reading now, my mind feels a lot sharper...

Hedy: Man, now I wish I could see those nonexistent pictures, thanks a lot! I hate wanting something you can't have!

Cindra: Ohhh, Cindra, you don't even know how bad this gambling problem is. Just the tip of the iceberg... hehe, just kidding. Well, only a bit.

Babybull: Maybe he's found his true calling, being a Vampire! That would be so wonderful, don't they live forever?

Omninaif: Thanks!!! Yeah, it's funny, I've never dug the short story so much as I do now! I haven't read that story by Lovecraft, I checked, it's not in the book I have, but I think I'll either get the story online or maybe buy a book that has it! I'm really excited about reading it now!!! Oh, with Poe, man, I really dug the William Wilson story, Masque of the Red Death, Pit and the Pendulum, Ligiea, The Black Cat, Metzgenstein (sp?), those are some of my favorites. Oh, and I like the Premature Burial too. Premature Burial is a fun happy story, I'm sure you can guess that out by the title!!!

Cassandra said...

Rambo could at least play some Jaws music before attacking you. I can't believe he's letting other animals in his domain! He must work on this respect and fear thing!

Sebastien Millon said...

Seriously, he could have the decency to play some scary suspense music beforehand! Yeah, it's ironic, he's totally willing to bite the hand that feeds him (me), but he doesn't even think about attacking these insolent birds and rabbits. Shameful.

MrManuel said...

No post from you since Monday morning - somebody is hooked on Pokerstars!!!

Sebastien Millon said...

Ahahahaha! I have played some! I need to play more now that you mention it!