The Opposite of Loneliness, and the Ability to Reclaim Questioning

The ability to condense a mind into a couple hundred pages is a rare and beautiful gift that few are granted. You have the attempts of Faulkner, of Tolkien, of Plath, of countless poets and writers and playwrights and psychologists and doctors and lawyers and actors and artists and people, yet of those countless numbers, few manage to pull through. This isn’t to say that those countless didn’t put in the effort; no, their tears are clear in the tragedies and paramount victories that tie up a script or blog post. With Marina Keegan’s The Opposite of Loneliness, however, the tales seem to fall from key to laptop screen with ease. She questions humanity in a few thousand words, in a couple short stories pulled together. She is exposed, she is presented to the reader, but she remains human. I tend to try and rarely speak ill of the dead, but with Keegan, there is no ill to speak of, or at least not in her writing-- what she writes is written as a girl, as a college student, a human sitting down and putting her thoughts down into some tangible form for others to read. Her style isn’t gaudy; it doesn’t try and overwhelm the reader with any sort of inconsistencies or attempts at individuality. Keegan gives a story-- any story-- and manages to tie it up with a question; she begins with facts and ends up forcing whosoever chooses to read The Opposite of Loneliness to begin to question basic principles that may not have entered their curiosities (or, if those principles already were questioned, perhaps it simply reinforces those questions). Each tale is different, whether it be fiction or nonfiction, but the structure is still there; the question is still there. In fiction the scenarios are unique but not because they are fantastical; they are unique because they are alive. They tell the stories nobody would ever really tell: a contractor in Baghdad, an aged actress and a blind man, a family who has everything right yet everything is going wrong. The reader is faced with reality that they may not otherwise see, with questions that might seem terrifying but are posed in such a way that they may not seem like questions at all, but rather like short ramblings for a student at Yale. The nonfiction is just as real but comes paired with an uneasiness, a tension in one’s stomach as they read through the streams of thought from a girl now dead. It’s almost as if reading a diary of a loved one who is no longer with you; what if she had lived? What would she be doing now? Would the book have left such a great impact if I had gone in unknowing, unbiased, uncaring? You have these questions coinciding with the ethical ones posed by Keegan that follow that essential structure, and upon ending, you may want more, yet there’s nothing left. There is her poetry, yes, but in the end, The Opposite of Loneliness highlights what it is to be human. What it is to care. What it is to take the words of someone who is simply like all of us and try and transform it into a greater “What if?”. 

The Opposite of Loneliness might not be gaudy. It might not be a book that sustains itself through decades of criticism or English Literature teachings. It might not make its way into a course curriculum. It might not be a book that bears its weight on the conscious for years to come, but that isn't to say that it isn't a beautiful book-- it most certainly is, and it is deserving of every last positive remark that it has managed to claim.

Liebster Award (via Beth)

I've yet to even do an official blog post, but the lovely Beth has courteously linked me as a winner of a Liebster Award. While I wasn't quite sure what a Liebster Award is, it was pretty kind of her to do so! I haven't quite gotten the hang of really speaking on the topic of myself, and when tagged in ask games and such on Tumblr, I usually think 'oh, that was nice of them!', say I'll do them, and, usually, never really do. However, I figured this might be a good starting thing to do (although certain things I can't really do, as I only follow Beth on here and know of 0 other blogs-- I'm not much of an explorer until about 2 months in, you'll see). The rules are as follows:

1. Link to the person who nominated you

2. Answer the questions given to you by the nominator.

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

4. Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

5. Notify all nominees via their social-media/blogs

Now, I've already done step one. Steps 3, 4, and 5 may prove a tad difficult since I know only one blogger, and she's already been nominated for the Liebster Award. I suppose I could just leave it open, then, until I find more bloggers I like? ...Yes.

VIA BETH: Her eleven questions are:

1) Why did you choose to start blogging?

Well, mainly because of you, my dear. I've always thought of doing this sort of thing or joining a newspaper of sorts, but I moved too often to really settle into a communal one, and I always found myself too busy to do a blog like this; Tumblr was easier, I didn't need 'original' content, and it was far easier to waste time on. It seemed like you enjoy yours, and now the number of books I've read in this school year exceeds the number of friends I have here.

2) If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would your last meal be?

--I'm not really a food person, to be quite honest. I love it, but it's not something I usually... think often on. If this scenario were true, I'd have to probably just go with the heartiest thing I can think of-- a burger from a local pub. It's got Grade A beef, thick cut bacon, two types of cheeses, a fried egg, hashbrown, and absolutely no vegetables. I've wanted to go vegetarian for a while now, but... if I were to die tomorrow, I'd have to go anti-vegetarian, unfortunately. 

3) Top three go to beauty/skin care products?

Okay, so I would like to say right now that I absolutely adore doing makeup, but have absolutely no talent at doing so. I can't see properly out of my right eye, so eyeliner on the left one winds up looking like a murder scene on Criminal Minds. Getting that out of the way, I really adore keeping my skin clean and using all sorts of lip products, eyeshadows, and foundations.

1. So numero uno would have to be Max Factor's Pan-Cake makeup (the newest kind-- not the one actually from the 40s). I'm a sucker for that kind of look, though-- the red lips, eyeliner, and that kind of smooth, porcelain kind of skin? Yes, it's incredibly expensive, and there's no way I'd ever be able to buy a single tub of it, but when I tried it at an event hosted by a friend, I never wanted to take it off. It does clog your pores a bit (it's called pan-cake, for Pete's sake), but I just... it's heavenly.
2. Neutrogena's Rapid Clear Oil-Eliminating Foaming Cleanser/Acne Eliminating Spot Gel. They go hand in hand, scrub off all my make-up, and essentially clear out any pimples that might be forming. Sure, it doesn't get everything, but it does the job, and it's worked better than anything else I've used before.
3. Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment (Sheer Rosy tint). It's tasty, it makes my lips smell nice, and they look rosy to go right along with any Pan-Cake makeup (now that I've thought about it, I'm going to find an affordable brand-- I'll get back to you on that). My twin got in his $75 package of Sephora merch work $225 (he loves this kind of stuff AND has a job) and I kind of mooched it off him. Oops.

4) Three of the best books you have ever read?

Beth. You kill me. 

1. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. If it wasn't obvious enough by my enthusiasm in the blog theme, the url, or the 'About the Blogger' thing, I love Catcher. Sure, Holden Caulfield is a whiny piss-baby who complains the entirety of the book, but just the humanity of the novel is so compelling. I'm interested in the psychology field, and after reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading it the first few times, if you pick up on the slight comments at the very start, tiny snippets throughout, and the very end, Holden's situation comes to light. I've also always adored symbolism-- deeper meanings are my calling (and my epitome), so the numerous ones in Catcher just draw me in. As I often say when recommending it though: you'll either love it, or you'll hate it (due to his nature as an unreliable and rather dickish narrator).
2. Animal Farm, by George Orwell. Psychology is fantastic, but... I've got to say, history is just as high. History is what's shaped us into who we are, what's made us learn from mistakes so we don't repeat them (or, in many cases, do), what's motivated us to put the past behind us, ironically. Animal Farm, while coming across as a children's book for the first few parts, is incredible in it's nature-- allegories are just my favorite things behind unreliable narrators, especially allegories to Russia, and even more especially (???) to the Russian Revolution. Currently I'm doing a 4-month-long project on the KGB, the Soviet Union's secret police, and Animal Farm is just one of the best things I could've wished to read in 11th grade. 
3. Seconds, by Bryan Lee O'Malley; The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Steven Chbosky; or The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath. I cheated.

5) What advice would you give to your 10 year old self?

Stop buying t-shirts that cost five dollars-- you aren't being economically mature, you're just being an idiot. Don't start any fad diets, don't start pulling your shirts to try and give yourself a waste, don't clip magazines to 'motivate' yourself. Don't skip any more meals, don't hurt yourself, don't talk to strangers online that say outright that they don't give a fuck about you. Relax a little bit-- you may be in the 'gifted' program, but you don't have to reach any expectations other than your own just yet. Care a little less about finding a uni now, and a little bit more about getting life experience. Find a friend who'll stick by your side, not one who will drop all contacts the second you move away. Appreciate Sophie more-- remember the memories.

6) Favourite inspirational quote?

“Every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance.” -Jean-Paul Sartre

I find existentialism soothing. Sue me.

7) If you had unlimited money to go travelling, which countries would you visit and why?

I'm going to first answer the 'if you had any superhero power'-esque question. There's a post floating around saying the 'probability manipulation' sort of thing, which would be choice one, but to be honest, I'd choose knowing of all languages, living or dead. I just feel like you could amass so much power simply by being to communicate with everyone-- that being said, I'd go everywhere. Everywhere. As for why, I just.. I feel as if my answer to my own question provides sufficient reasoning.

8) Top three favourite blogs?

1. Gonna go with Beth xx (linked above)
2. Sophie (ma meilleure amie) 
3. Ry (the twin)

9) Most beloved item of clothing and why?

I have this really shitty, old, paint-covered, gray knit sweater from Goodwill that I got 5+ years ago, and it's probably got 15+ years with another owner before that. My mom hates it, it's got a bunch of straggling strings, and it's really a piece of crap, but it's been through a lot with me and works with all my XXL dress shirts so it's going to stay (until college, probably).

10) Favourite way to procrastinate?

Hop on my roleplay blogs and listen to mixes about Natasha Romanova/Agent Peggy Carter. xx

11) If you were trapped in a burning building, what celebrity would you choose to save you and why?

This is too much power, good lord. Probably Chris Evans? Because he seems to be in decent enough shape to carry me out, and seems humble enough to not use it or anything. Might even keep in touch xx (plus getting saved by Captain America? Fuck yeah.)

Now, on to my questions.

1. You are at a wedding. All has run smoothly enough thus far, and it's getting to the point where they're about to exchange rings (or whatever tradition 'consummates' a marriage ceremony) when the pastor/priest/minister/whatever catches on fire "oh no!". What are your first thoughts? Actions? Feelings?
2. Is there an accent you hate? Why?
3. What celebrity would you not want to be stuck in an elevator with for 8 hours?
4. You third most lovable quality.
5. Feelings on 'The Scarlet Letter' and Hester's situation? (if you don't know the story, Google works well enough though the book is A+ in my opinion)
6. Favourite contemporary artist?
7. Would you consider 'chrome' a color or a finish? What about camouflage-- a pattern or a color?
8. What character have you related to most in entertainment (books, songs, poetry, films, television, etc.)?
9. Opinion on the paparazzi? 
10. Dim room or bright room? Why?
11. Ideal roommate?