Pint-Sized Fred, Sha-Shawty-y

Ahhh. My life now has time to have meaning.

No more physics. No more physics. No more physics.
(well, at least until SAT subject tests next week...)

I be thinkin' that for this post, I might actually stick to a topic (or several).

First off, this last week, while reviewing for my final Inman exam, I was lucky to discover a new amazing talent by the name of Will Thwaites. He's sort of like a "white Lil Wayne" for nerds/literature buffs/white kids who love rap/all of the above (me).
Listening to "Daisy's Lullaby", a rap version of the Great(est?) American Novel: The Great Gatsby, made me fall in love with this suburbian rapper with luscious rhymes and sick beats who attends the Great Catholic University: Notre Dame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiajdDYYMaA

I pretty much informed everyone I know about this video, but in case I missed you, please watch this. Actually reading the novel will heighten the experience by 7 times 77. I recommend it.

But, as much as I adore this video (I have probably contributed to at least 45 of the 47,000+ views), it was "Remix to the Suburbs" that
a) convinced me to visit Notre Dame
b) convinced me to spend this summer developing my rap skills (need suggestions for a rapper name? haha)
c) made finals week as enjoyable as it could possibly have been
d) made me send off a creeper email to Mister Thwaites himself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cg59ob-nFs&feature=related

I also recommend "Blue-Eyed Sunrise" and Will's short videos as well. Checkk him out foshizzle sure.



Next on my list of recommendations is a psychological thriller novel- "The Talented Mr. Ripley" - and all the successive sequels following that. Beware, though. Mr. Ripley is a cold-blooded murderer who is able to rationalize his grotesque acts and convinces you to rationalize them as well. By the end of the first book, I felt sorry for Mr. Ripley and wanted the police to lay off already (I mean, he only killed two people! What's the big deal?). So, if you are mentally unstable, either don't read this book, or avoid people for several weeks following. (I also was nauseous after reading Ripley's Game - numero 3 in the series - Ripley got a bit too involved in the dirty work of the French mafia...) I have yet to see the movie - starring Matt Damon and Jude Law, but my sister assures me it is awful[ly scary].



IN case you want some lighter reading for the summer months, I recommend a delightful murder mystery series which mixes Agatha Christie with a bit of honey and darjeeling. Laura Childs, in her Tea Shop Mysteries, writes a decidedly "chick" book (unlike Patricia Highsmith-author of Ripley's books-who writes decidedly "not chick" books). The one I am reading now, The English Breakfast Murder, has the owner of the Indigo Tea-Shop, Theodosia Browning (amazing name, I know), discover a dead body in the middle of Charleston Bay while she is volunteering at a Save-the-Turtles event. Great, right? My intake of tea has increased exponentially since I started perusing this series. Some titles I recommend: The Teaberry Strangler, Oolong Dead, Chamomile Mourning, and Gunpowder Green. Yes, after reading those nacho-cheesy titles, you are probably thinking that I am kidding about the immense enjoyability of these books.
(P.S. I'm not)

I hope you enjoyed this week's edition of Karen's thoughts. Tune in often, for this summer is going to provide a constant source of blogging inspiration.