Hipsy's View: Not My Normal Content

Hey guys, this is a quick video I wanted to share about an interaction I have had recently. Please listen to its message and be wary of what's on the Internet.

Hipsy's View: Overdue Update

The Giant sees me!

Two and a half years: that is how long it has been since I've posted on this blog, and so much has been going on!

For those that are still following me, thank you for hanging around. If anyone is new, thank you for taking the time to view my reviews.

As the title suggests, I know I have neglected my blog. Not intentionally, mind you. Since my last blog, many things have changed since my "Raven Reading" in 2022. I am no longer working two jobs (I'm a full-time high school instructor now), the most extrovert activities I do now are FanCon conventions (in fact, I'll be attending another one this summer), I'm almost done with my Master's Program, and "spare time" is filled with either costume-making, reading, spending time with family, and trying to write my first book.

That's what has been going on, in a nutshell. As I try to get back into this blog, I will try to post some of my old drafts, updating them to make them more relevant. One of my goals is to leave reviews for books that I read this year. If you would like to see those reviews, you are welcome to read them on my Goodreads page. If I encounter a book that inspires a longer review, I will do my best to post it here.

If you would like to view the costumes I've been creating since 2020, you're welcome to view them on my Instagram.

If you would like to DM me, Hipsy's View can also be found on Facebook.

Until my next post, stay active, but overwhelmed (like myself, lol).

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Reading 2022

Hello everyone!

I have not forgotten this blog; I have a legit reason for not posting in such a long time. Since my last post, my job as an instructor at a high school has been keeping me busy. By May/June, I finished the school year by completing new course packets, becoming a test coordinator, and prepping to help open a new school location. To top it all off, I started my next stepping stone: I began working on my Master's degree.

So, if you are wondering where I've been, that should explain my absence: work and school. I'm trying to keep on things, so when I get a chance, I will post what I can. I'm still doing book reviews. If you would like to view them, you can find them both on Amazon and Goodreads. I'm also starting to load more content on YouTube; you will find my videos on my channel, Hipsygirl. Until the next time I can post, below is a video of my first audio reading, "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe. Have a great day/afternoon/evening, everyone.

Hipsy's View: 1984, or "The Father of Dystopia"

 The following brief review can be found on my Goodreads and Amazon Reviews. Below are my personal thoughts on George Orwell's 1984.

After reading this book, I noticed many tropes seen in dystopian novels today, mainly when a government overrules its people and claims they know what is best. The only difference is its ending, which leaves a reader uncertain on how to feel. In the result, that's what makes the story good; it gives the reader the insight of what an economy — in this case, communism — can do with complete power over people and thought. 

In the beginning, it was quite difficult for me to get into this story. At first, it was merely that I had no interest in reading it, especially if it was something I was going to have to read for school later (when I was younger, I had a few in-between years where I despised reading, then I enjoyed it immensely). Then, it was putting it off to read other things that I wanted to read; in my mid-teens and early 20s, I had become obsessed with reading YA novels rich with either dystopian concepts or paranormal love triangles (*OMG, I'm judging my younger self!*). When the time came to finally decide to pick up 1984, adulthood was in full force and distracting me from my escaping-reality hobbies. It didn't help that the ending was spoiled for me, which further delayed my decision to finish it. But I have succeeded in finally kicking it off my reading bucket list! And honestly, I am surprised it took me so long to read because ーunbeknownst to meー I was already a fan.

What does she mean by that? you might ask. Well, it turns out all those dystopian YA novels I was reading were very close to the Orwellian concept of controlling governments. Allie Condie's Matched Trilogy, Niel Shusterman's Unwind Dystology, Veronica Roth's Divergent Series, V for Vendetta, and even Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games have a form of "Big Brother is always watching." 

The scary concept for Orwell, though, is that he was writing this story with an idea of almost reality. The time 1984 was written was a dark time in history for Orwell. When he wrote this, I think he may have been writing it as a cautionary story for others; this is what can happen if we let this form of government overrule the people, or if they win the war. With this in mind, some might think his protagonist, Winston Smith, is a beacon of light, someone that will defeat Big Brother. But as I mentioned in my review above, the ending is not so; Winston is an example of how a thread can be manipulated and formed into anything with a little bit of force. At some point, that thread will break once the manipulation is done. "2+2 = 5".

In the end, I did enjoy this book and can understand why it is recommended reading. Though the wording can be bland at points in the story, they can hold a sense of longing for the way things may have been or could be, even though in reality we don't need to think that since we can now still experience things Winston cannot. We don't have to ration chocolate or coffee or shoelaces. Lemons are not extinct. Children to this day still sing the rhyme "Oranges and Lemons". Perhaps now the cautionary tale of the book, since the year 1984 has come and passed, is to enjoy what we have now; if we're not careful, it can be easily snatched away and in time be forgotten.

Hipsy's View: The Stand

 *Note: If you follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, you'll notice this is my review for Stephen King's The Stand. The only difference with this review is that I have added pictures and a personal opinion before the main review. Enjoy!

What would be a great way to begin a new year than to read a book about a virus that kills almost the entire population during a global pandemic? Well, if you're a Stephen King fan such as myself, you would find a sick pleasure in doing just that (*sarcasm might not be my best trope in writing; wonder if anyone is taking me seriously*). As you would guess, I finally picked up The Stand ー actually, I bought the Kindle/Audible narration and listened to it (seems like the only way I can get any reading done lately) ー and I enjoyed it! Ironically, I read it when the newly updated miniseries also came out (beginning of January or end of December, I can't remember). Now, most people around my age were more than likely introduced to this story at a young age by watching the 1994 miniseries. Being that it was in the 90s and the FCC was more strict of what could be shown on TV than they are now, the series is pretty darn close to the novel. When I heard about the new miniseries coming out, I was hesitant about watching it, but after reading some recent articles, it's rumored that Stephen King has written a new ending for The Stand and it will be shown at the end of the miniseries.

If any of you would like me to do a "Which Is Better" comparison of The Stand with either or both the miniseries to the book, please let me know. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my review posted down below.

(*Note: As mentioned above, this review is also on Amazon and Goodreads. I will also have it posted on my Hipsy's View Facebook page).

A Vision of a Possibility

Reading this story during a flu-like pandemic can make most comment on how similar the situation is RIGHT NOW! But in truth, it is not like the current event we now face in the beginning of the 2020s. And though there may be similarities and differences throughout this novel, The Stand's Captain Trips is completely another type of pandemic we should hope will never to occur; Stephen King once again paints an alternative world we hope never to live through (but enjoy to read about).

The Stand begins by showing how a government-made virus was accidentally (or so it seems) spread through late 20th century America (depending on which version you read). In time, it's learned that this virus has also been spread to other countries, thus making it a global pandemic. Going by many names — Captain Trips, Tube Neck, the superflu, to name a few — this virus is so strong, it kills almost 90% or more of the population. The few immune to the superflu must go on a journey throughout the country, choose which side to be on — good or bad — and the fate of what may lay ahead of them. This story follows those survivors and their choices.

As been mentioned in other reviews, this is King's " American Lord of the Rings". It has many tropes seen throughout the original Tolkien piece, as well as tie-ins to King's other works sprinkled in; you'll notice some of the town names are familiar, and if you've read the Dark Tower Series, you'll know which character from there antagonizes the Boulder Free Committee and their beloved Mother Abigail.

In short, I have nothing but good to say about this book and enjoyed it more than I expected. This is now one of my favorite King novels, alongside the Green Mile, Carrie, and Thinner.

Hipsy's View: Blogs from my Bookstore

If you have read my blogs recently (as of last year), you know that when I am not working my regular job, I work at a bookstore. While though I am one of the toys/miscellaneous buyers, my passion still resolves around books, history, and mythology. Beginning last year, I was asked by the events manager if I could write a few blogs once in a while to post on the store's website. Now, I'm not the only one that writes for the blog, of course -- this is a state-chain store with six locations -- but if you would like to know why I do not post as much here as I would like to (jobs and distracting hobbies are time-consuming, as we all know), I have created a list below of all of the blogs I have written for my store, with links attached them to take you straight to the pages.

Oh, and if you get the chance and you want to explore the store's blog, check out some of the bloggers' posts. With the bookstore also being an entertainment trade store, we blog about everything to do with entertainment, be it books, movies, video games, local events, you name it! For now, thank you for being supportive readers and I hope you will enjoy these following blogs.

Note: Though I may have written these blogs, they were altered and edited by my event manager and the store's social media manager, to fit properly with the website. I still have my original copies, and if you would like me to post those, please let me know so I can check with my events manager (since I report to him) before posting them. Thank you for reading!

Hipsy's Blog from the Bookstore

• Bookman’s Recommends: Valentine’s Day Movies! (February 2019)
• Bookmans Recommends: Top Ten Irish Folktales (March 2019)
• Fun Facts: Ēostre and Easter (April 2019)
• What Bookmans Geeks Geek Out On (May 2019)
• Take A Journey Through Reading (June 2019)
• Read With Pride for Pride Month! (June 2019)
• Mermaids Throughout the World (July 2019)
• Stress Busters for Back to School (August 2019)
• Banned: 5 Must-Reads (September 2019)
• A History of the Storyteller (November 2019)
• Resolutions: Do More You (January 2020)
• Pandemic: Books Recs for a Quarantine (June 2020)

You'll notice some months where there were no blogs. Those are months where I could not write due to my schedule with my other job, and then, of course, the COVID-19 quarantine months; at this time the store was closed for almost two months, and the social media pages were not posting anything but updates. I did have one written for February (Valentine's Day themed), but with many other great blogs being posted and the pandemic scare, it sadly did not get posted. I will check in with my manager, and if it is okay with him, i will post that blog here. Stay healthy and safe for now.

Full-Time Life Overload: Update Blog

What a year so far, am I right?

So, if you are still following this blog, I appreciate you. I have not kept up on this blog like I intended to. Since a year ago (literally!), my plate has been constantly full. I have been working from home, which has it's good and bad side effects. Good because it has health and safety in mind, bad because of my distractions. Still being a new instructor at the school I'm working with, I have coursework that I need to finish in order to help our students. But with all the extra time on my hands, my ADD has been playing the devil's advocate with me. First I'm reading leisurely, then I'm reading for work, then I'm sewing, then I'm writing, then I'm writing for my other job (yes, I'm still working a second job at a bookstore, but it has been closed for 2 1/2 months), then I'm back to sewing and thinking about my novels-in-progress....you get the point!

Now with one job ending (just for the summer break) and another reopening, it's surprising I'm even taking some time to write this. Before all this COVID-fiasco, I was planning on writing a few tie-in blogs for a blog I wrote for my bookstore, which sadly did not get a chance to be published due to current events. So I thought I could post them on here. But even though I have been working from home, I mention once again, my ADD has been on full blast, keeping me busy with other ideas and projects when I'm not scheduled to talk with students or doing my own coursework. Now many months have gone by and not one blog up on this site! But I hope to change that soon.

If you do enjoy my blogs, I thank you again for sticking around. I will put up another blog soon with the most recent blog links from my bookstore (I have posted some before); I just sent one off recently and hope to see it on the website soon. Once it is, I will put a link for it up on this blog, as well as my Facebook page (which btw, I have a Facebook page too, Hipsy's Review). 

Until then, please stay safe and healthy as we reenter the working world that's not behind a computer screen or in our bedrooms. And remember, I'm always open for suggestions on any book or movie reviews from all of you, and though I haven't worked on it in a while, I would still like to add more "Which is Better" blogs. So feel free to leave me a comment or email hispysreview@gmail.com.