Book Review: 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

A book review, two weeks in a row. In case you did not get the memo this is me trying to get back into the swing of things.

13 Reasons Why may have very well given me my definition of a good book; 1) You know what you are getting into from page one 2) It stands out from your usual 3) Page turner which instantly translates to, can't-put-it-down and 4) Everyone around you knows it is good from the severe case of hand clasped over mouth syndrome you get while reading it. Another one of my unofficial good book standards, when the bus conductor reads with you from the corner of his eye and says, "Inaonekana hiyo kitabu unasoma ni nzuri" translation, "Looks like you have a good book there." Jay Asher you might as well set up base in Kenya.

After basically shoving down your throat how good this book is, I guess it is about time I told you what it is all about. Meet Hannah Baker, well if you want to get technical you can't because she is dead.She committed suicide and tells you why, gory details and all. This is heard through the ears of one Clay Jensen who may just be one of the reasons why.

The ending is the beginning and it is not pretty. Energy is negligible, drained from Clay it's safe to say he is a mess. With such a jolly, good start you can't help but turn the page. It then progresses to the more traditional beginning; the Clay before the package, excitement upon delivery and it instantaneously takes a turn and you know it's down hill from here.

Before you get used to the swing of things you may get understandably confused. This is not your average type of book. Hannah narrated her ordeals on to casette tapes; so there is her voice, Clay whose nerves are just all over the place, his thoughts and flashbacks are no different, the pausing , stopping and playing of the tapes and of course regular real world dialogue. But it's the new age format that makes it so good.

It is complete drama and suspense here with numerous curve balls. I would like to give you a hint of nearly everything but I would like to keep Sir Jay here in business.

Enter star of the moment, Hannah. She is hurt and could not be more blunt about it. Just reading it has your heart pounding, eyes welling up as if you have something to do with the whole thing. To lighten the mood , if that is even possible, she cracks a joke and that sets the dark ball rolling. She morphs from being a regular ol' teenage girl, new kid in town to being a hurt violated being. In the beginning, there is a dash of hope which you are also holding on to which eventually fizzles out.

Clay, Clay, Clay. Like every girl who is into Y.A I have a top fictional guy list. I did not expect for him to be on there, but, ey, he earned the spot. He is a mama's boy and the apple of his mother's eye, studious, you will definitely not find him at a Saturday night party red cup in hand, predictable, cautious and sensitive. He comes across as clear and transparent, an open book. The tapes however change that.

No question about it, I like this book. It sailed it's way up to my top 10 favourites. But what did I really like? That I could go on the website if I really wanted to scare the living daylights out of me, Jay Asher   retweeted me (just thought I'd slip that in there), how the idea came to the author, the eeriness of it all, how societal the situation is of course the list is infinite but the ending is a homerun. It's fueled with such a hope you cannot hold the suspense against anyone.

Have a good one!

Surviving College: The Professional Look

'Sup guys!

It was Monday yesterday, but there was no Media to it. I weighed quantity against quality and quality won. Surviving College it is then. But before you  get to whining, Media Monday will be back with killer bands, maybe solo artistes, Youtube channels; basically the usual, whatever tickles my fancy and has a shot at tickling yours.

So, you are probably packing up for college you Freshman you. You have got your shower caddy on you, some cleaning supplies, school spirit merchandise, a back pack you will be hauling around campus, the list goes on and on. Guess what? It gets longer.

Little story for you here. No one told me, "Your career starts in college," "You may just be in need of a business suit there honey," "Don't forget to whip out that resume". Career starting in college? Business suit? Resume!? Yeah, right. Yeah. Right.

Boys and girls it is time to put our business looks in the front and party/chill/slounge (sleep+lounge) looks in the back, just for a while at least.

Exhibit A: The business/power suit
Didn't think you needed it this soon huh? Chances are during your first year of college or at the end of freshman year you will be out there looking for an internship or a job, heck maybe both. When going in for the interview, there is a need to be looking sharper than a knife's edge. This is where the suit comes in. Let your future superiors know you mean business. Come in with a clean, crisp, white collared shirt with a well tailored fitting suit and you will be the candidate etched in their mind. You might want to store this in one of those suit bags, keep it in it's prime condition.

Exhibit B: The shoes
You may be scanned from head to toe so do not let anyone tell you any different that the shoes department does not really matter. Black is usually the classic option and also the safest. Don't shy away from the status quo, go get yourself a pair , who am I kidding? Get yourself a couple. The professional world is calling and more than a pair is preferable. Ladies, those chunky heeled, closed black shoes is the better option, strappy heels not so much.

Exhibit C: Office wear
So you nailed the interview and now you are a member of the workforce. You got the part, now you need to look the part. Long-sleeved dress shirts, neckties, dress pants, blouses, you get the picture, around these parts are all the rage. This trend depending on your career is here to stay. I suggest you get on it. Cheer up, this is a legitimate excuse for a shopping spree.

Exhibit D: Cover letter
Most of the time or at least in my opinion this is the major seller. In a paragraph or three, summarize why you are the most deserving of the position together with your qualifications and experiences. Put some major effort into one,which will be your template and when that job pops up, you make the relevant edits and Ka-pow! Jut wait for that interview call.

Exhibit E: Resume
If you prefer, curriculum vitae. This answers the question,  Who are you? on paper. Talk about yourself in the most clear and precise way possible in no longer than 2-3 pages. The internet has some templates on how to write one if your completely lost on this one. Your work experience may not be exactly up there given that it's only freshman year but if you've job shadowed or even worked for your parents, put it down, it may just be the reason that earns you a callback.

Exhibit F: Portfolio
So you are an aspiring writer, photographer, artist. Then show me. Put together some of your best and most diverse work you have ever done because as the saying goes the proof is in the pudding.

Exhibit G: Letter of recommendation
So what do other people think about you and your work ethic? The age old recommendation letter. Wer you a teacher's pet? Well here is your chance to use it to your advantage. Ask for them to write you a letter. Ever volunteered/worked/interned? Ask your supervisor to do the deed. 2-3 letters is a safe number.

Exhibit H: Resume Holder
Something to carry it all in. Bold and professional. One of those faux leather folders that keeps all your papers crumple free plus you look organized. Win-win situation anyone.

Go forth and conquer the professional world!

Have a good one!

 

Book Review: A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Carnivorous Carnival

Here we go, a book review after what seems like a century. Reading is not the challenge, no,no. Getting around to writing the reviews,  on the other hand... I seriously need to develop a system.

Lemony Snicket, we meet again. This time in the most unlikely of venues yet. Nine books in you would think that I am used to it by now, but can you blame me? We just went from a hostile hospital with some hippies sprinkled on top to a carnivorous carnival with "freaks". Quite the story actually.

Violet, Klaus and Sunny when we last saw them they learned that maybe one of their parents is alive. Well, technically, they were climbing into the trunk of a car, not just any car, Count Olaf's  their archenemy. Take the saying in the belly of the beast to the next level why don't you?

The book starts of in its usual tone, trying to reach their financial guardian and Count Olaf having the same motive, get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune. Answers to their parent(s) whereabouts lie with the carnivals fortune teller, so they do the only thing to do, morph into freaks to get some answers.

This Carnival is definitely one in a million. For one its going under, the fortune teller triples up as the carnival manager and Olaf's tip, the  circus freaks well, that depends on what freaky is on your scale.

Each book in the series is riveting but this is the worst one yet. And I mean this in a good way. The amount of misfortunes is at an all time high, it starts all fine and dandy, at least to Lemony Snicket's standards. In fact at some point things are looking up for the Baudelaires. Then whoosh! Just a ripple effect of all things bad go their way. Betrayal, false hope, carnivority, potential homicides, impending death and kidnapping. Feels like Pandora's box was flung open, huh?

So what I loved about the book. There was something more real about this one I guess Lemony Snicket toned down on the mythical characters. From the very beginning you begin to feel for this guys, connected to them. Must have been the glimmer of hope. Let me admit, I hoped with them. And the imagery? There is this northern lights situation going on, on one account Esme Squalor, remember her? Opens the door and blue just fills the room. Now that is something.

How this book ends, dang it! suspense galore. You have to remind yourself it's fiction. Let's just say Lemony doesn't guarantee a sequel this time. You are just dying to read aren't you?

Have a good one!

Surviving College: Saving Money In College

Hi guys, the weekend is finally here with us. I feel like just a wink ago, yes you read that right, wink, it was Monday. Oh well! Whatcha gonna do, the latest Surviving College installment awaits.

College in our house hold is one of those rude alerts where it dawns on you that Mom and Dad are not fountains of ever flowing cash. It hits you, and it hits you hard . To survive in this dog eat dog playground called the world, saving is essential and here are just some of the ways I try my hand at it:

Budget. The rule of thumb when it all comes to all things money is budget. That pesky b-word. Well love it or hate it budgeting will never go out of season. Necessities over wants any day. I am talking books, stationery, toiletries over that killer leather jacket you just have to have. On the plus side if budget is not in your vocabulary, why can't we be friends?

Hitch a ride. Once you have drawn up your budget, chances are the future is looking very grey, all 50 shades of them. Moving numbers around does not make the situation any rosier, so here is where the magic happens. Some good old street smarts! When it comes to commuting and your mom, dad or even better, a classmate is going the same way get in to that car. You may very well end up saving 50% of your budget, but do not spend it just yet.

When it comes to the actual commute weigh your options; if you walk to another bus stop that so happens to be further from your regular stop but cheaper it is not rocket science that you need to do the pocket-friendly thing.

Carry lunch, snacks and water/beverages. To pry my hands open of my daily budget is literally impossible. It was not always like this, believe it or not, I once used to spend a LOT of money on food alone but I was still holding it down in the beverage department. What? Give credit where it is due, no? Once it hit me that there was certainly no money tree in my yard, I got on that lunch and snack tip. Yeah, so occasionally a juice box and strategically placed supermarket popcorn go further than tempt me, I am human. However, you cannot imagine how much you can save from eating from your own kitchen.

Walk. Put that energy from your lunch and snack into use. If you have a walkable route from home to school or even half your commute, just put one foot in front of the other and you will be at your destination. Hey, plus side is you get to keep fit while doing it and of course save anywhere between 15-100% of your fare. Classic two birds one stone situation.

Shopping. When it comes to stocking up, when you are on a budget there's an art to the whole escapade. Be on the look out for supermarkets with the lowest prices. Do not just waltz in there any old time, go during offers; Back-to-school, End of Month, Easter, Special offers,usually Buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF), sales etc. Then you step it up by getting an economy pack of some sort like a pack of pens, pencils but be warned, do the math, the economy pack may not be as economical as it is painted out to be.


Money jar for pocket change. So you have been saving up, bits and pieces here and there and they possibly cannot add up to much, right? Wrong. Empty the coins or whatever that has been jingling in your packets nearly the whole day into a designated mug or jar, funk it up by maybe painting it or labeling it your dream destination. Dolling it up motivates you to save  so in a month you will have quite the amount, in a semester lunch with a plus one might as well be on you and at the end of a year start up capital for a business you may want to start is no problem.

Do not impulse buy. Usually this leaves you reeling in regret and self pity, having to tighten your belt even tighter because of the now dreaded impulse buy. Solution: Do not frequent places where impulse buying has become a norm for you, if you have to walk by these places, put your blinders on. Do not worry, self control will kick in soon enough.

Do-it-yourself. Giving up any luxury is usually the toughest part when it comes to saving. Getting hair and laundry done by another individual is all the rage when money is no object. But if you are a student, you might want to consider squeezing in laundry day and being your own one stop beauty salon.

These are just a couple of ways that have worked for me when it comes to stretching my budget a tad bit. I am no millionaire but at least I have a fortune, no matter how meager to my name. Just a little self discipline and you can join me on the other side of almost financial stability.

Have a god one!

Media Monday: Her Campus Blogger Network (HCBN), Leon Bridges

'Sup guys!

I am on a high that would give a toddler's sugar rush a run for its money. let me give you a feel of it right now. The weekend that was had me attending the first of hopefully many Storymoja Festival intern meetings. Which was fun, F-U-N; meeting literature enthusiasts and book addicts. I think I finally found my kind. The whole experience will probably be on the Surviving College series, do not fret, you will hear all about it.

A couple of other cool things have also happened, but by far the one that takes it all, "I AM A MEMBER OF THE HER CAMPUS BLOGGER NETWORK!". The news was supposed to break subtly, lady like almost but I guess blurting it out will just have to do.

This comes one year and one month (tomorrow) after starting literallylovely. The whole blogging thing has been an interesting affair; from trying to be an imitation of my writing role model Jackson Biko, a poor one if I may, to allowing my misfortunes to be my muse hence Surviving College, dubbing myself a book reviewer on account of the handful of books I have read and wearing my media heart on my sleeve letting the world know that I may have a slight Youtube problem,  quite the taste in music and I am well on my way to being a movie buff.

HCBN could not have come at a better time. I have been looking for a blogging network as the possible next step to up this blog's game and HCBN was God sent, no question about it. I have Toyosi Oyelola over at Standard T to thank for hanging the HCBN badge ever so boldly on her page. Let me admit that I am a ghost fan of Standard-T but I think it is about time I made my presence felt and leave a comment or two over there.

One of my greatest fears usually is the future. Of course I have never said it out loud lest people think I am some sort of basket case afraid of tomorrow. Well, I can positively say that blogging has changed fear to an adrenaline rush I cannot wait to experience with HCBN being an element within it all.

To a couple of years more as the HCBN badge goes up tomorrow!

That is as far as I can go shouting myself out. A little shameless self promotion never hurt nobody.

Well it is a Media Monday so why not give you what you came here for? Just a dash of it this time. Ladies and gentlemen, Leon Bridges. Not indie, not pop, I am just a bag of surprises for you today aren't I?

Soul, 60's soul. I discovered him on a Vevo playlist, Newest Tracks of the Week. Vevo had made a big mistake, so I thought, it was either that or I was on a whole different playlist than I thought. This guy had me thinking I was listening to some forgotten smooth sixties cat. With everything on lock; the whole 60s look, wardrobe, haircut, sound, his music videos, the slang, the rhythm. Listening to him...it's just soulful.

Better Man which was the hook that reeled me in in the first place teleported me to 1960s New Orleans with hot comb sleek hair up in a pony tail with a  natural bounce to it, in a full a-line number with some white gloves on not having any of Leon's "Better Man" jibber jabber. Coming Home which put him on the scene felt like it was playing from a gramophone; smooth, soothing, simpler times and there is not even a hint of exaggeration here. Smooth Sailin', It's about time I got on down with my bad self. Long story short, his album just dropped and it is just the perfect mix. Leon Bridges is literally lovely. That's the stamp of approval right there.

P.s If you squint doesn't he look like the guy who played Little Richard in the biopic?

Have a good one!

Media Monday: Becky G, Vi är bäst!

Monday sh-Monday. I managed to disappoint myself yet again, but I. Will. Not. Back. Down. Now the problem is, I have been all over the place and as far as being into stuff...I haven't. Well, to be completely honest, Becky G has been on repeat on my early morning playlist. What? Like you do not find her hit single, at least in my world, Lovin' So Hard cute. If Austin Mahone was not her bae, I would probably be that fan girl leaving 'ship names on their respective Youtube channels. Yes, I am an Austin Mahone closet fan. So maybe I just know the one catchy song featuring Pitbull, sue me. They are still epically cute together.

E! News is purely responsible for my Becky G obsession. A snippet of Becky from The Block played at the end of one of their broadcasts. I couldn't help but think, "Oh great, another Justin Bieber, complete with her own Usher," in Becky's case, Jeniffer Lopez. A Youtube playlist later and I was all, "She a'ight". That translates to, girl sure got mad, mad skills. And her look, the whole front tooth gap thing, massive selling point.

I forgot about her for a minute then she sprang up with Shower. Again I was sold, sold and sold. Well not at first. It was pretty pop-y and springy, not the cup of tea I would like to admit is my liking. In no time, I knew the lyrics by heart and was buffing the living room glass cabinets to the rhythm.

Hands down, Can't Stop Dancing takes the cup. Simply put, I just cannot stop dancing or singing along to this sick tune.In the words of Rebecca Gomez herself, "Latinas stand up!" say it with the accent, sounds one hundred times better.

 Well there you go a little music for you there, didn't think I had it in me.

Mov-aaay time! Vi är bäst (We are the best). Let's take a minute to appreciate that I knew what the title meant from the little one and a half year stint I had with the German language even though it is Swedish. I have never liked the term "Coming of Age" as a genre but I am waving the white flag on this classification especially for this indie movie.

Based in 1980s Sweden, two thirteen year olds are eager to bring back punk. Meet best friends Bobo and Karla. Bobo an only child who seems to be keeping it together for both herself and her mom. Klara on the other hand comes from one close knit family who she thinks is lame, no surprise there, what teen doesn't? They aren't your classic teenage girls. These girls are feisty and the punk band they start without knowing to play even one instrument (that's faith right there) is evidence. They know how to keep it real, with their wiggity wack  sound they recruit Hedvig into their "band", who is nothing like them, in fact she is the complete opposite but oh! they do something about that.

So what is so good about it? The girls. The trio manages to represent each and every girl of the stick out like a sore thumb type in that teen/tween stage. Bobo, the odd one out, she knows it, dislikes it and tries all means to escape her harsh reality. Karla the loud mouth, headstrong and even with that outrageous mo-hawk on her head she still manages to be the pretty one. Hedvig, she is just like you and me, trying to figure it all out while being the voice of reason for this duo. There are a couple of hilarious, outrageous moments, some awkward moments, a moment or two that will seem all too familiar, the list is endless.

So go ahead, check it out. If you happen to be looking for direction, this is not the movie. But it does give you assurance that there are plenty of you out there. It is in pure Swedish but it does have subtitles, knock yourself out.

Have a good one!

Surviving College: Presentation Preparation

And I am back! Second day in a row. Take a minute to appreciate how much I am trying to earn back your support.

Well, let's get to it.

It is no secret that just over a week ago I managed to embarrass myself after one lousy performance that I talked about here. Rarely am I caught off guard in such situations so the whole episode was quite the wake up call. The saying goes that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Imma put my big girl pants on and admit the whole five minute from hell spectacle was all on me. Pinning the blame on somebody or something else will only land me in a pit of quick sand; stuck, struggling and ultimately sinking.

Whoo! Feels good to let that out, even better to see it documented. So what happens next? Pumping myself with a few pointers that will have me better prepared for future presentations and climbing out of the six feet under joint of humiliation that I have since embraced as home.

1. Early preparation. The moment you have your hands on your assignment, the work starts then. Procrastination can take several seats. Starting the process early has a number of perks, you can make several mistakes, identify these flaws, fix them and take a shot at being perfect.

2. Know your team. That is if you have a team but bare in mind that presentations rarely see you working solo. Identify  your partner(s) early enough this way you get to: divide the work fairly and accordingly, get the hang of each other and be each others judges. This way you have a couple of opinions and constructive criticism in due time.

3. Consistency. This would be in regards to knowing and understanding the assignment in question, individual and group oral practice, group meetings and individual and group reading, re-reading and understanding research findings.

4. Be thorough. Research on everything that could trigger a question. Now, I cannot stress enough  how important it is to read and re-read your research findings then understand them. Read. It. All. You do not want your own deer in headlights simulation similar to mine.

5. Language. If there is a way your audience is meant to be addressed, go through it from the get go. Have a mock audience and address them as you would the real audience. The more times you do, the faster and firmer it will stick.

6. Confidence. Project your voice, let it fill up the room. Dress the part. Put all the hours and hours of practice in to use, that moment depends on it. Relax, breathe, be sure of what you are saying and talk at a normal pace. This should have you managing curve balls thrown at you mighty well. Most importantly, remember you've got this in the bag.

These are just the few lessons I learnt from watching the OG's of the internal rounds do their thing and if it worked for them, they surely have to work for me and you, right?

Hmm, looks like I did take away something other than dire humiliation from the whole spectacle, Hopefully next time, I can put into practice what I have preached to you.

Have a good one!