Aurora Dimitre's Books and Rambling

 I have always been a fan of Romeo & Juliet. I loved reading it for school, I loved all the film adaptations--it was my first real introduction to Shakespeare, and I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Shakespeare play, but it's probably the one I know the best and the one that I've read, re-read, and re-read again the most. So, I agree with the author of the book I'm currently reading, which is a retelling of Romeo & Juliet, and on the back, on the author description, she says, " Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's best plays and doesn't deserve its slander in pop culture." And you know what, hell yeah? (The book is, of course, These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, which is R+J retold with the backdrop of 1920s Shanghai + some ~mystical elements.) The thing with this play is that it is not a grand love story that people interpret right but hate. It has a love story in it, sure, but the real thing about this play is that is the story of two f

 

 So, I just got my first pair of Bluetooth headphones. I know, I know, it is The Year Of Our Lord 2021 and these shits have been available for actually ever, and just now am I getting my first pair, but keep in mind that I still have a Walkman. A legitimately Sony Walkman that I use to play my Metallica Cassette Tapes, Thank You Very Much.  (I also know that I am only 23 years old and this is entirely the hipster in me that I keep denying.) But they came today! To be honest, the only reason I bought them is because they did come with a cord (so, yes, I can use them to listen to my Metallica Cassette Tapes On My Sony Walkman), and... it's actually impossible to find a good pair of over-the-ear headphones without Bluetooth capabilities. I've looked. Believe me, I have looked . The only other pair of over-the-ear headphones are a pair I got with a GE portable cassette player that have the distinct disadvantage of only playing at a very low volume... of course, this becomes a posit

 A few more updates because things just! Keep! Happening! First up, I was... interviewed? And had an article written partially about my book recording habits? Article is by Amelia Tait and can be found on penguin.co.uk, or here for a direct link. It is a really well-written article and I am definitely super honored that she was able to use some of the interview to help out with her article! I got another essay published! This one is online at don't die press ; " Write the Person First " which is really just. A Poorly Disguised Reasoning Of My Overwhelmingly Male Protagonists. But I'm proud of it, and I'm glad that the ladies over at don't die press found it good enough to post.  The book wall shrinkage is going well. The last of my large boxes of books came in and so I have no more giant boxes of books coming in, so that's fantastic. Three more books to read before I can make a ThriftBooks order!

 

 I have come to realize something about my book buying ban habits, and that is that I really only tend to go on one when I have a lot, and I mean a lot , of packages of books coming in. Then as soon as they all come in, I'm straight back at it. This is unsurprising, and might be called 'pretty predictable, honestly,' but it does amaze me that it's taken me this long to realize it. I'm still in the honeymoon phase of my book buying ban (well, not ban, restrictions ) right now, and so I don't have any real feelings toward purchasing books other than it would be nice but I can hold off. It is also the honeymoon phase because I am reading like crazy . I'm hoping both stay on board. I've been good with Camp NaNo, and doing enough work during the day that I don't have to do much, if any, at night to stay on track. Hopefully that can stay as-is so that my evenings can be for reading. In a choice that is probably stupid, I have chosen to let any and all book

 I got a short story published in an online lit mag! Read " Creaks " for free at Red Rover Magazine. I believe the editors may be doing a limited print run of this magazine, but I'm not 100% sure--either way, the story's available for reading.  I started my book buying ban again? My Instagram photo is correct in stating that this is my third attempt at this point, in this apartment, with this method, and hopefully third time IS the charm. I have too many books . Like most things in my life, this was brought on because of instant gratification: BookOutlet was having a good sale, and I told myself, "You can only get books if you go back on a book buying ban," and now I have eleven books coming from BookOutlet, not to mention all the eBay purchases that are going to be trickling in. All I can say is, oops.  Camp NaNo is happening! I'm working on Promise Me , which will be the sixth book in the Aughts Boys series--the first two are already out. They're m

 

 

 Got my second COVID SHOT yesterday. Moderna--they brought that shit straight to the school, so all I had to do was head down, let another person watch my sophomores watch To Kill a Mockingbird, and get jerbed. Then I had an IEP meeting so even though it was the last day before a break and we should get to leave at 3:30, I didn't get out of there until 4:15 and that sucked ass.  Either way, side effects now of the covid vax. Arm is very sore. It's getting better, but holy god for a few hours there I could not lift my left arm. Last night a few chills started, and I'm pretty sure I had a fever. Today the side effects have been fairly mild. In all honesty, probably should not have gone to a Long Big Fun Day in Fargo, because I was miserable by the end of it, but I rested and now I feel fine again. Took a bath and all that shit. The chills are still faintly present, but TBH, I'd probably let anyone inject me with anything, so it's whatever. It's a little weird--got