See The Sun

Before you leave this life, there’s so much more to see
I don’t believe this is how the world should be
But still the footballer’s wife tells her troubles and strife
I just don’t care in the end
Who is she to pretend
That she’s one of them?
I don’t think so
And the girl from that show
Yes the one we all know
She thinks she’s some kinda star
Yes you know who you are
I don’t think so, I don’t think so

Currently crushing: Ewan McGregor ad for Davidoff Adventure. I simply love slowly walking by the billboards…

Currently reading: ‘The Blood of Flowers’ by Anita Amirrezvani - I’ve only just started but everything about this historic oriental story about the journey of a young woman is simply intoxicating.

Currently watching: TV films of Nora Roberts novels. As was to be expected nothing to be excited about. But up till say a couple of years ago her novels were my favourite form of escapism so it’s fun to revisit some. ‘Carolina Moon’ with Claire Forlani (and a yummy Oliver Hudson) was a pleasant surprise though.

Currently amused by: German TV mini-series ‘Anna’ from 1987 about a ballet dancer - it’s so ridiculously 80ies. It’s based on a novel series by Justus Pfaue. Watching it brings back many memories: of my final high school years, of reading parts of the books during class (which was so unlike my usual studious self lol), of reading it whenever I had a moment and of thinking about the characters all the time.

Currently dreading: My appointment at the hospital for my allergy tests.

And I’m gone with the wind like they were before
But I’m believing myself I think there’s something more
There must be something more
I think there’s something more, something more

I’ve finished reading ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ on Wednesday evening and it’s just an amazing story and told in the most fascinating style ever! I’ve been blown away by the depth of the story that I have not been able to start reading a new book despite having the time and some interesting books that I only just bought. I’d definitely recommend this book VERY much!

Not only do I think is the love story between Henry and Clare one of the most romantic stories I’ve ever read but also is it a very real one, it spans over so many years and the happiness, sadness and problems that fill their lives makes it anything but superficial. What I also like about the book are the philosophical ponderings. They are not forced upon the reader really nor are there a lot of them but the fact that they’re there raise the writing above the average novel. I might not agree 100% with Henry nor with Clare but their opinions appear logical and understandable to me. Time travelling can be such a pitfall because it offers countless occasions for plotholes. In my opinion, the way Audrey Niffenegger has dealt with it - as a genetic disease that can’t be controlled at all and also that you can’t really change the past nor the future - works very well.

I do not think that belief in the existence of God includes the belief that every single fact is pre-determined and part of a bigger plan, although I do think there is a bigger plan. However, I like the way Henry describes determinism, that the bigger facts etc are determined but leave room for free will - that it is the opposite of complete chaos. What if we combine these 2 ideas? Everything that appears determined (such as existence, laws of nature etc) were not determined by an unknown figure but by God? Well, let’s not go there now…

What I didn’t like so much at first is that the writer constantly cuts from one time to the other and back etc. It makes the characters more vague. But within only a few pages the characters are already very well developed despite that and I didn’t mind the time cuts anymore - in fact I loved them! There are many details and quotes in the book I’m already starting to forget so I think I’ll have to re-read it again.

I decided to not only list the films I’m watching but also the books that I’m reading. I can’t wait to see how long it takes me to read 100 books!

As stated on my list I’m not listing all my reading material - I read a lot, also a lot of magazines, books etc about big issues such as life in general, social environment, sociality, relationships, religion, history, philosophy… But what I’m listing is which books (mostly fictional) I’m reading just for my entertainment in my spare time. I tend to keep the big issues of life out of my internet life hehe

I’m on a roll: reading books back-to-back. Sometimes I honestly get ‘overdozed’ by movies (and being online) so books remain my ‘other’ resort. These are the books I read over the past 7 days:

First, I read some horrid book (I can’t even remember either its title or author) supposedly about twins changing places (I’m always falling for stories like that) but the charade (which I was reading the book for) was over after only a few pages and the writing style beyond acceptable. I’m convinced I could have written such a book too (and that is saying something, I absolutely hate my writing style).

Then Would You? by Deanna Kizis. It was good, I suppose: the characters well-drawn, the plot being interesting enough without being either too obvious or too forced and the writing good. But, I may have the wrong age for it. In any case my weighings of the importance of events was often directly opposed to that of the author.

Then came THE glorious re-read: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I’ve been meaning to re-read the whole book for a while now, and finally I managed. After all, I have a luxury edition of a book containing all the Brontë novels - I can’t take it with me to read while commuting. (That version cost the same amount as 2 paper-back Brontë novels, thus I naturally decided on that edition). I absolutely loved every sentence of the book, well, almost. I noticed a few sentences that reflect the difference in time, but nothing serious. I also liked its spiritual/religious aspects and references, I had quite forgotten about them. They were not in the foreground at all but added to the story.

Lastly, I read Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married by Marian Keyes. I don’t care if this is not a literary masterpiece. Nor if it’s considered ‘cheap’. I loved it. The characters felt so real! And the author didn’t skip difficult scenes - she had them all in full dialogue rather than to just cut to a scene after the ‘difficult scene’ thus avoiding what I consider the most challenging part of writing novels: To fully tell a story without sounding cliché-like, soapy, cheap, embarrassing or the like. Congrats to the writer for managing to avoid these pitholes! The whole story felt complete, without missing links. It’s not that I want all the loose ends to be nicely tied up (at least not plot-wise), but I want to know/feel how the characters develop, esp. if they’re on journey and are a different or more mature person at the end of the story. I want to know how they got there. Otherwise I don’t believe it!! Anyway, I found out about a TV mini-series made of it, but I have no inclination to see it - even if it were available on some form of media, which it isn’t. One of the best parts of the main character Lucy, I felt, was that she was ‘normal’: small without being frail (meaning: having no tits but average hips, or sth along these lines), freckles and curly, untamable hair etc. How could they turn her into a tall, slim blonde?! It opposes everything about who Lucy is supposed to be!!! And where is the contrast to her beautiful female companions? Anyway, I would have loved to see Gerard Butler in this, but since it’s nowhere available I won’t mind too much. Maybe, I overdid the reading though: I read the whole 670 pages yesterday (through to today’s early hours, where is my resolve??!) and reading about someone who has problems getting up in the morning and is still suffering somewhat from depressions is not really the book to cheer me up, is it? Anyway. I really loved it. Period.

… a few things actually.

My friend was left by her boyfriend of 2 years in a cold and unpersonal manner out of the blue (I never know what to say in these situations, but I feel for her deeply)

The gossip that has already started to arise from the situation. ^^

I start feeling for Chris (book: Into the Wild) and his family and friends as if I knew them. So being about 2 3rds through the book - and thinking I knew the style of the book and the people - I was honestly shocked by Chris discovering a family secret!

Keira looking really bad at the Venice Photo Call. Especially if you have a close-up shot of a non-smiling Keira with too much make up spreading over half a newspaper page. Thankfully I saw Riikka’s post of Keira at the premiere wearing a beautiful Chanel gown, but still. I’m not a Keira-hater and I’ll see any movie she’s in. I think she could be pretty and classy. But her constant pouting, her being too skinny and her not knowing how to deal with the press (IMO) really get on my nerve.

Anne-Marie Duff looking weird as a blonde. Haven’t kept up with her lately, so I was surprised. 

A neighbour town beeing flooded for the 3rd time in a month.

However, I’ve decided not to rant so much on here, so sth with a slightly positive note:

The rassistic political poster being in the news for the millionth time. (international link link link link and the a further-developed version) I honestly think it’s definitely past what’s tolerable. And they hang on every street corner and got sent to all households as unsolicited mail! Now, apparently the UN are asking for an explanation.

[edit:] Something real positive now: My boss came back after lunch break with some very tasty chocolate ‘mousse’ tart. D.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.