say my name, bitch

In honor of the central reason for my blog's name, this blog comes to you in the form of an iterview between myself...and myself.

Q. So, whats with the name?

A. Its a quote from my favorite book, Looking for Alaska by John Green. The full quote is, "After all this time, it still seems to me like straight and fast is the only way out--but I choose the labyrinth. The labyrinth blows, but I choose it."

Q. And what made you choose that specific reference?

A. I'm so glad you asked. This novel contains a group of characters that I relate to deeply. I had a tough year 2007, a mental breakdown of sorts, and Looking for Alaska fell into my lap at a turning point for me. A point where I was ultimately deciding whether I was going to get better or stay sick. Getting better meant a lot of work and staying sick meant a lot of nothing. I chose the labyrinth.

Q. Why is Looking for Alaska your favorite book?

A. A huge part of that is what I stated above. Being a young person who has dealt with mental illness and thoughts of suicide on top of all the daily horrors of being a teenager/college kid, Looking for Alaska impacted me in a really personal way. I don't want to give up the plot too much because I really think that people should experience the story on their own. There are a bunch of different elements in the novel that spoke to me: the adoration and loving of the idea of someone more than the actual someone themselves; the insecurities and recklessness of youth; infatuation with someone out of reach; feelings of trust and guilt; the desire for a life unknown; questions about life and death and the value of both; forgiveness. Life goes on, and you can live it or not live it. When I wanted to not live it, I read Looking for Alaska and it reminded me that though life (or the labyrinth) blows, its worth it. The book made me excited about the labyrinth again.