First new book from the 1001.
Figured I'd pick a short one so I could get the score up to 74. I am aiming for 100 before I reconsider this as a bad idea. Next comes DeLillo and Auster.
Casino Royale was an interesting read, very much of its time. Bond is a misogynist dinosaur ( as quoth M to Pierce Brosnan) of the 1940's. Vesper comes across as she did in the film and the torture scene was horrifying, even more so than the film. Is it a good idea to read a book after you've seen the film? Made it easier to concentrate on the character nuances and the paucity of language.
C is reading Northern Lights ( after she saw the film). She is comparing it to the film and the film is losing!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Books
I have another blog, entitled the Library of my Life, which was intended as a review of books I had read, as when I am in a hyper or dark mood, I tend to struggle to read or forget what I've written. A sort of aide memoire I guess. I haven't been very good at keeping it up. If two blogs are hard to do, three are impossible. So I think I shall amalgamate it into this blog, since it is integral to my life as a Manic.
I found another blog entitled 'So many books, so little time". The blogger/bloggerine/bloggette gets involved in lots of reading challenges and posts lots of lists, like the 1000 books you must read in your lifetime.
I just found her marking scheme ( out of 10) which I loved.
10 One of the best, worth adding to my permanent collection
9 Compelling, wonderful, should force strangers to read this
8 Very good, happy I read it
7 Quite good actually
6 Okay plus, good, but not so remarkable
5 Okay, pleasant enough but entirely forgettable
4 I read this under duress or a sense of obligation to the group
3 Why did I bother?
2 I read this only due to lack of nearby cereal boxes
1 Painful, but continued reading anyway
0 Despicable, vile; continued reading to burn off purgatory time
(Created by Jan T.)
I think I'll stick some more lists on the sidebar, just so I can remember to read or feel inspired.
At present life is pretty good. The sun is shining, the washing is dry, the drugs seem to be working and the children are quiet (friends round and no arguments). We have had visitors from the UK ( Claire and Graham) and it was lovely to share our bit of paradise with them. They have been touring the country for two months and are about to fly back to Blighty, poor things. I sometimes fear having people around when my head is off but they are so easy to talk to and relaxed with a silence.
Perhaps I should add a currently reading to the blog too, for more inspiration?
I found another blog entitled 'So many books, so little time". The blogger/bloggerine/bloggette gets involved in lots of reading challenges and posts lots of lists, like the 1000 books you must read in your lifetime.
I just found her marking scheme ( out of 10) which I loved.
10 One of the best, worth adding to my permanent collection
9 Compelling, wonderful, should force strangers to read this
8 Very good, happy I read it
7 Quite good actually
6 Okay plus, good, but not so remarkable
5 Okay, pleasant enough but entirely forgettable
4 I read this under duress or a sense of obligation to the group
3 Why did I bother?
2 I read this only due to lack of nearby cereal boxes
1 Painful, but continued reading anyway
0 Despicable, vile; continued reading to burn off purgatory time
(Created by Jan T.)
I think I'll stick some more lists on the sidebar, just so I can remember to read or feel inspired.
At present life is pretty good. The sun is shining, the washing is dry, the drugs seem to be working and the children are quiet (friends round and no arguments). We have had visitors from the UK ( Claire and Graham) and it was lovely to share our bit of paradise with them. They have been touring the country for two months and are about to fly back to Blighty, poor things. I sometimes fear having people around when my head is off but they are so easy to talk to and relaxed with a silence.
Perhaps I should add a currently reading to the blog too, for more inspiration?
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Happy New Year!!!! 2008
It's difficult to keep up two blogs. I have a moral obligation to write the family one- antandjo.blogspot.com- as all the family read it and are desperate for information and pictures of the kids. I have tried getting the rest of the family to do it but it requires motivation, not something an eight year old has for anything that does not involve a trampoline or a computer game.
Trouble is I can't be honest on the family blog. If I feel shit I have to write that everything is fab otherwise the parents will fret. Christmas has been far from easy, although enjoyable for the most part. My head has been off the lines and Ant says he saw it coming but didn't do or say anything so I sort of blame him for my meltdown. He's just spent thousands on a jetski which at best can cater for two of the family and can't understand why I'm not enthusiastic. We could have bought 10 kayaks for the same price! He winges when I buy a coffee and then splurges!
He hates his job, wants to jack it all and bake cookies ( a la Ben) and then what? I guess I feel that he has let us down. He brought us here, with promises... a trampoline (yes), a spa pool ( yes), a great house ( yes), family time ( hm), a baby ( a big no), a dog ( probably a no). We are having to deal with him being unhappy and not be able to feel frustrated because if you do he hits back. Maybe I am just finding being 'just a mum' less than fulfilling, but I don't seem to stop. This is the first minute I have had to myself for about a week and I'll be in trouble for spending too long on the net, when I should be in bed.
The kids and I are enjoying our holiday. We have our roles, they empty the dishwasher while I hang out washing, then we play, shop, go to the beach, have an adventure, play with the cats, water the plants.
Ant seems jealous of my situation, having made friends with a few of the moms, but it's difficult starting again. I miss having people around who know when I'm starting to gabble and can just say 'stop', who don't expect too much of me, who know they have to ring me, because I could be having a bad day. I miss the possibility of seeing people I love, however fleetingly. Email is fine but I wish some one would just walk through the door and say 'hey'.
I wish my life was as simple as the kittens. They are curled up beside me at midnight, grooming each other, or could that be play fighting. They eat, sleep, purr, run, poop and look cute.
Oh yeah my new year's resolution...to weigh less than a dog! Storm is a big dog ( Newfoundland) but I need to weigh less than her. Well it's good to have an aim.
Been sitting watching the Big Chill as I have been ironing and blogging. Perhaps it struck a nerve or perhaps I chose to watch it for familiar reasons.
Trouble is I can't be honest on the family blog. If I feel shit I have to write that everything is fab otherwise the parents will fret. Christmas has been far from easy, although enjoyable for the most part. My head has been off the lines and Ant says he saw it coming but didn't do or say anything so I sort of blame him for my meltdown. He's just spent thousands on a jetski which at best can cater for two of the family and can't understand why I'm not enthusiastic. We could have bought 10 kayaks for the same price! He winges when I buy a coffee and then splurges!
He hates his job, wants to jack it all and bake cookies ( a la Ben) and then what? I guess I feel that he has let us down. He brought us here, with promises... a trampoline (yes), a spa pool ( yes), a great house ( yes), family time ( hm), a baby ( a big no), a dog ( probably a no). We are having to deal with him being unhappy and not be able to feel frustrated because if you do he hits back. Maybe I am just finding being 'just a mum' less than fulfilling, but I don't seem to stop. This is the first minute I have had to myself for about a week and I'll be in trouble for spending too long on the net, when I should be in bed.
The kids and I are enjoying our holiday. We have our roles, they empty the dishwasher while I hang out washing, then we play, shop, go to the beach, have an adventure, play with the cats, water the plants.
Ant seems jealous of my situation, having made friends with a few of the moms, but it's difficult starting again. I miss having people around who know when I'm starting to gabble and can just say 'stop', who don't expect too much of me, who know they have to ring me, because I could be having a bad day. I miss the possibility of seeing people I love, however fleetingly. Email is fine but I wish some one would just walk through the door and say 'hey'.
I wish my life was as simple as the kittens. They are curled up beside me at midnight, grooming each other, or could that be play fighting. They eat, sleep, purr, run, poop and look cute.
Oh yeah my new year's resolution...to weigh less than a dog! Storm is a big dog ( Newfoundland) but I need to weigh less than her. Well it's good to have an aim.
Been sitting watching the Big Chill as I have been ironing and blogging. Perhaps it struck a nerve or perhaps I chose to watch it for familiar reasons.
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