Long Time No See

There's this strange disgust I have with excuses.  I can't explain it, but when a friend rushes through my door twenty minutes late, sputtering about this or that traffic accident or alien abductions or family emergencies, there's a part of me that simply loses patience.  I prefer a simple and short apology and a promise that it won't happen again.

This, my readers, is what I will now offer you.  I haven't written for an awfully long time, and for that I am deeply sorry.  And I wish that I could talk about my knitting or my baking, but I haven't worked on either.  Instead I can fill you in on what I have done.

First, I read all of John Green's books.  I love chronology and order, and I therefore began with Looking For Alaska, then read An Abundance of Katherines, and finally, Paper Towns (I read the books in the order of their publications).  I cannot speak highly enough of John Green.  Each of his books is an incredible adventure, upon the conclusion of which I have learned and absorbed more knowledge than I wish I had in any single high school class.  Perhaps this is dramatic, but for an uplifting and enlightening read, John Green's books are where it's at.

Then again, I've always had a weakness for authors who make an effort to connect with their readers, and I cannot name a single artist who has done a better job than Green.  With constant vlogs and a plethora of past articles and radio interviews, it's incredibly easy to get to know not only the author John Green, but also the person.  All too often I find myself enjoying an author's work and never even knowing anything about them.  I love being able to attach a face, personality, and life to the name on the cover of a book.

In other entertainment news, First Aid Kit <3 finally released their album The Big Black and the Blue.  I cannot emphasize enough how incredible this band is.  Their first album touched my heart, and as I listened through the Big Black and the Blue for the first time, I was mesmerized.  I have never encountered a duo with such impeccably orchestrated harmonies, such beautifully understated accompaniments, such thoughtful lyrics so pertinent to my life.  Perhaps it is because of my proximity in age to the duo, but I want nothing more than to see them in concert, to listen to their music over and over, to sing along with the lyrics (and make them my Facebook statuses!)  Unfortunately, they won't be travelling to the United States anytime soon, but their album is fulfilling enough to hold me over for the time being.  Perhaps it's because of events in my own life, but Sailor Song has a particularly strong pull on me right now.  Check it out!