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(02/06/15 8:10pm)
Whether it's a torrential downpour, the stress of a heavy course load, or the fact that winter is ending, sometimes you just need a book. The stories books hold can offer you an escape from whatever has caused the gloom. Even the simple act of flipping a page or flicking the screen on your e-reader can help keep you sane.
(01/29/15 5:30pm)
Go to Pinterest or Tumblr and search "books".
(01/23/15 5:00pm)
(10/23/14 4:00am)
Aunt Flow. The end of a sentence. The crimson wave. Shark week.
(10/22/14 4:00pm)
[embed width="600" contenteditable="false"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EILQTDBqhPA[/embed]
When school overwhelms me and my senses, I try to clear my head with slam poetry. I know I've said this many times before, but listening to this poetry is reminiscent of comfort food. It feeds my soul and reminds me that I'm not alone.
(10/20/14 3:00pm)
I arrived at the Marquee Theatre an hour and 15 minutes early.
(09/27/14 12:23am)
As I sit here in my pajamas, poised to complete this post and write a class essay, I feel an overwhelming calmness. It's surprising.
(09/24/14 8:14pm)
Sensuality can sometimes be considered too risqué or taboo for public media. Readers can argue that "Fifty Shades of Grey" has a sensuous tone, but I'm talking about literature a level below the handcuffs and whips.
(09/15/14 3:00pm)
After 4 semesters at ASU, it's easy to assume that I have it all figured out. I can amble my way to the Memorial Union on Tempe Campus. I've perfectly calculated the time it takes to drive from Tempe to Downtown Phoenix in rush hour traffic. The image of late-night campus cockroaches has been permanently etched in my mind.
(09/09/14 3:18am)
I don't mean to sound depressed and sad, but sometimes I'm hit with the overwhelming qualm of hating my body, and at times, my personality. I'd say that this lack of self confidence comes from a desire to be the way that society often portrays the perfect woman.
(09/05/14 9:12pm)
I should mention that as I'm writing this piece, I'm also snacking on a frosted brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tart.I'm Marie. I'm the Assistant Editor of SPM, and I'm a fanatic of books and baked goods.I'm not normally a Pop-Tart consumer. In fact, I usually stray away from the boxed breakfast sweet at all costs. Today, however, I settle for a Pop-Tart.My tiny breakfast spiel has a purpose, I promise. It's to say that sometimes we have to go with the sweeter things in life. For me, State Press Magazine is a sweet, sweet Pop-Tart. The resemblance is not in the breakfast treat's fattening and unhealthy effects, but in the way that its sweetness brings me happiness.I came to college with the idea that higher education had to teach me to become a professional with a high-paying job. At the time, I wanted to be pre-law, and supplement my studies with International relations. Somewhere at the turnpike from high school to college, I suppressed my desire to write, read, and embrace words. Sure, words would be important as a lawyer or diplomat, but writing poetry and Fanfiction wouldn't get me a job.As much as I love the study of politics, reading and writing have been my passions. After two and a half years of pure political study, I clicked on the 'Work for Us' link on the State Press website. I was pulled into a delightful whirlwind that is "Literally Speaking", and now I'm an Assistant Editor.The first few weeks of this position have been a learning process - getting organized, and balancing school and another job, have been a stressful but exciting experience. There's more to come, and I honestly can't wait. I love keeping my mind busy, and all of these things do that.This busy life needs distractions too. When life and work get rough, I reach out to Vsauce and the vlogbrothers Youtube channels to keep me sane. Slam poetry reminds me that other people have struggles too, usually way deeper than mine.So, I'll keep taking a bite out of this sweet treat, and I hope you'll join us on this journey too. SPM has so many exciting things ahead.You can reach Marie at arabusa@asu.edu or via Twitter @marie_eo.Follow SPM on Facebook, Tumblr and Pinterest, or via Twitter and Instagram @StatePressMag.
(08/27/14 2:00pm)
In middle school, my English teacher assigned us a project that visually represented a scene from Mark Twain's 1876 novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Out of the desire to have the most interactive piece, our group chose to create a diorama of the scene. Our decision was also supposed to show that we worked long, grueling hours on the diorama-- not just the few hours spent filling the box with dark paint and some pasted popsicle sticks.
(08/25/14 2:29pm)
My name is Marie, and books are the loves of my life.
Marie, a happy book lover.If I could establish a theme for this past summer, it would be the endeavor to become a master. For my Pokémon-loving friends, it's like learning to become the very best. I took a Physics class, a class I struggled in previously, and strove to master it. I moved out on my own, and I'm still learning how to manage it. I was recently given the opportunity to be the Assistant Editor for State Press Magazine, and I'm working to be better at this job each day.This summer was a valuable learning experience for me. I'm coming back to the blog this semester with new life experiences, and new literary ideas. Outside of summer classes and hours at work, I spent time in thrift stores, bookstores, and libraries. I took in books the way that we have to breathe to survive.Quite literally, I consumed books. My room looked like it came straight out of a booklover's Pinterest paradise. Perhaps not as picturesque as rooms posted on Pinterest, books were stacked up my walls, and in shelves in my closet. In Goodwill, I sat on the cold, waxed concrete floors and stared at used, mishandled, and cherished book spines for hours. I stacked books into shopping carts even if I didn't believe I'd buy them, just in case I changed my mind later.
A tower of books grew in my thrift store shopping cart.This semester, I hope to put these new experiences to work with Literally Speaking. I hope to explore the raw elements of literature and the written word - how books are put together, the trials and triumphs of being a writer, and international works. Just like previous semesters, I'll talk about authors I find interesting, and literary events around the Phoenix and Tempe areas. I have the same disclaimer that I've had in the past: my love for literature and books is a cheesy, kissing in the rain kind of love. That doesn't necessarily refer to the genres I love, but it does describe how incredible I think literature is. I overuse the word "magical" when it comes to literature, and I think that the written word has changed the world, and will continue to shape the future.I hope that this upcoming semester, I can share a bit of that magic with you. How did literature make its mark on your summer? Let me know at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
(07/31/14 11:30am)
Summer is in full force, with 122-degree weather and nonstop sunshine. It seems that the fall semester has crept upon ASU students, with fewer than 30 days until the first day of classes.
(06/20/14 11:30am)
A connoisseur of perfectly coiffed hair and heartwarming soprano vocals, Sam Smith has become a staple in American Top 40 radio.The 22-year-old London artist gained popularity on the British music scene when he was featured on Disclosure's "Latch" in December 2012. Music fans fell in love with his musical range and passion. In late 2013, Smith emerged on the American music scene.Audiences at music festivals and in dance clubs across the country forced "Latch" and "La La La" by Naughty Boy, featuring Smith, into high demand. His airplay grew rapidly, and Sam Smith has risen to the top of American and world music charts within recent months.On May 26, Smith debuted "In the Lonely Hour." His album showcases his wide range and awe-inspiring vocal ability. Meanwhile, his musical style combines and weaves pop-synth vibes with a bit of revamped '90s flair.Smith establishes his personality and musical passion with his opening track, "Money on My Mind." With each chorus he emphasizes the fact that he writes his music for love and not for monetary graces. The music behind the lyrics plays similar to "La La La," Smith's collaborative effort with Naughty Boy.Following the upbeat introductory tune, Smith pours his heart out with pop-style ballads such as "Make It To Me" and the hit "Stay With Me".Sam Smith puts a face to a featured artist of electronic music, and embodies another facet of the modern British invasion. Musical acts such as Ed Sheeran and One Direction have risen in popularity in the past few years, sparking what seems to be an influx of British artists, a second, welcomed invasion.In an MTV interview, Smith was celebrated as one of the only homosexual artists in the music scene. However, it is not his sexuality that should or will set him apart from other musical artists. His intense passion and ability to identify with audiences of differing musical interests will be his praise and presence in the music world.Whether or not there will be more artists from this British Invasion is to be determined. Even so, Sam Smith has made his mark on the music industry.Reach the reporter at arabusa@asu.edu or on follow her on Twitter @marie_eo.
(04/07/14 2:04pm)
Sometimes you hear a song, speech or poem that leaves you speechless, unable to put words to feelings. You are stunned speechless.
(04/02/14 11:00am)
Over the last year or so, I have fallen in love with the city of Seattle. From the beautiful city skyline, to the nature surrounding it, Seattle radiates beauty, innovation and art.
(04/01/14 1:56am)
This post contains spoilers about various literary works.
(03/25/14 12:36pm)
I had another lit-filled weekend and I hope you all did as well.
(03/04/14 7:00pm)
ASU's School of Philosophy hosted Adm. James G. Stavridis this month in a lecture called "Life, Literature, and Leadership." He is a retired four-star admiral, and the current Dean of Tufts' Fletcher School of International Affairs. He attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis where he studied... literature.