Busy weekend

Yeah, yeah, blah-di-blah, nice weekend with the boys and all that.

BUT, I went to the cinema with Sara, to see Eclipse. Aaaaah, it was lovely :) Lots of lovely Edward, and lots of lovely Jacob. I would love to see it again, and will certainly buy the DVD and play it over and over again when it comes out.

Time to be objective though. I've had a sleep, and that has given me a little thinking time. This is what I think this morning. As we know, a film is never as good as the book it's based on, and this film was no exception to that rule. I think what's lacking in the films is the passion that is ever-present in the books. The characters in the films are much more two-dimensional, and don't have anything like as much depth to them as their counterparts in the books. They do the best with the scripts they have I think, and they almost get it right - but not quite. I always feel like there's something missing. It's as if the directors of the films are a little afraid to let emotions be as intense as they need to be. There was a glimpse of the passion we were waiting for in Eclipse, after Bella had broken her hand off Jacob's jaw, and Edward looked like he was going rip Jacob's head off - now that's what we like to see, proof of how strong his feelings are. But we're not treated to that level of intensity as often as I think we should be. It's there a lot in the books, and that's what keeps you wanting to turn the page - there are hormones and threatening looks and smouldering passions all over the place, but we only get a light dusting of them in the films. Not fair really. But they do their best, and I admire them for trying! It's not the actors' faults, but the direction makes them look as if their hearts are not really in it and as if they'd rather being making a much more gritty and intellectual film. Shame.

But what the films do nicely, is stick to the story. I hate when films go right off track, and even have plot elements added that have nothing to do with the story in the book. Eragon was a bit like that. I was very disappointed with that movie, as so much was left out, and certain characters were unrecognisable. That was a real shame, because the book is one of my favourites, it's truly excellent and I will read it again - I won't watch the film again though. It just didn't cut it! Anyway, I'm going off track here :) The Twilight movies do well to include as much of the story as possible, and really don't miss much out at all. It's mostly pieces of dialogue that are missing - not really missing either, just précised*. When you read a book, some parts of the dialogue can be so beautiful, that when you see the film you might be eagerly waiting for a certain line to appear - and when it doesn't, or when it's changed, it can be disappointing. But this is how it has to be with films - otherwise they'd all be four and five hours long, and that would be impossible. I think we have to understand that, and just work with what we're given, and love it (or hate it if it's truly awful) for what it is. Lord of the Rings did ever so well to keep as much of the story intact as they did, but even that movie couldn't retain every scene and word of dialogue. You can't dislike an otherwise great movie for having time and budget constraints!

*précis

nouna précis of the report summary, synopsis, résumé, abstract, outline,summarization, summation; abridgment, digest, overview,epitome, wrap-up.verbprécising a passage summarize, sum up, give a summary/précis of,give the main points of; abridge, condense, shorten, synopsize,abstract, outline, abbreviate; archaic epitomize.

But of course, we don't watch movies such as Eclipse to be astounded intellectually! We're not really bothered that they fall short of our expectations, because pretty quickly we grow to love them more than any other films we have ever seen or will ever wish to see. We become teenage girls again, and we slobber over the beautiful leading men, and we go all giggly and fluttery and want nothing more than to be able to stare at them for as long as possible. It really is completely pathetic, and I think there is something wrong in the brain of every woman over thirty who falls in love with this dazzling Edward Cullen, as if he were a real person whom they would stand a chance of winning! But I am one of these women - I have caught this terrible and debilitating disease, and goddammit, I wish I'd never heard of Twilight! It's ruined my life!

But enriched it at the same time.

Ridiculous!

Oh, I almost forgot. We got a good fight at the end of Eclipse. I meant to say that earlier, as one of the film's positives (there were many positives, don't get me wrong, I did really love the film - it's just easier to point out the negatives sometimes, because they can be more obvious). Because a love story's all very well, but when there are plenty of vampires and mega-wolves just milling around you need to have a good fight in the end. It's a good fight in the book, so I was hoping that there were would be some decent roaring and baring of teeth and ripping off of limbs and heads and such. I wasn't disappointed there at all - the effects in the film are great. I like the metallic crunch that you hear when some part of other of one of the vampires is forcibly removed from the rest of their body. Very satisfying.

Oh, continuity, film to film though - I'm a bit of a stickler for continuity, and this film let me down on a couple of things. Considering that vampires are supposed to be frozen in their bodies as they were when they were changed, there was an awful lot of vampire hair growth, colour change and weight loss! Esme's hair had gone from red to black, Jasper's and Emmett's hair had grown noticeably, and Rosalie had lost quite a lot of weight. Hmmm. Continuity should be strictly observed, in my humble opinion, because when there are noticeable differences, it makes you aware that you're watching a film. Once I'm in the world of the film I don't like to be brought out of it until the credits roll.

I am aware that this post is rather negative, and doesn't really reflect the mood I was in when I came out of the cinema last night, bouncing and feeling in love and giggling and suppressing little screams of joy and hysteria! That's how I really feel about this film - it makes me feel seventeen again, and that can only be a good thing :) Who cares about little imperfections in the details, when a film can strip away years and give someone back their teenagerness - miraculous. Gets my vote.

Anyway - boring post for those who don't like Twilight. Sorry :D No more, until the release of the last movie, which hasn't been filmed yet.

Thunderstorms and holidays, and palpitations

Mmmm. Can you smell that? There's newness in the air. It's thick with it today. Some days feel like that, don't they? It's not to do with that heavy and oppressive kind of atmosphere that comes before a storm though, you know, when people say 'ooh, it's close today' (- is that a high- or low-pressure weather system? I can never remember). No, that's not what it feels like at all, because there was a tremendous storm in the night and that cleared the air. It's still warm today, but it's not sticky anymore. But anyway, that's not what I mean. I mean that there's a feeling of potential lingering around here. When this feeling is in the air I frequently get butterflies in my tummy, and I get little palpitations, and I get a bit sweaty as well, and I feel quite nervous, but I have absolutely no idea what it is that I'm anticipating! Very strange. I often have days when I'm getting the kids ready for school and I have a grin on my face, and I'm in a heightened state of excitement, and then I realise that I don't know why I'm feeling like that. I do not know what is coming, but I'm sure something is.

Am I going a little nuts?

The storm woke us up in the night, and it was quite exciting. The rain was absolutely hammering on the windows, and I had to close them to keep out a little of the noise. And then, even with my eyes closed, I could tell there was lightning before I heard the thunder. It was unbelievably bright - I just wish it had arrived earlier in the evening so I could have watched it out of the window. But at 4am I thought it was probably best to try to get back to sleep. And the thunder was brilliant, he he! I love it. I could never really understand that scene in The Sound of Music, when all the kids have to be sung to because they're afraid of the storm, because I've always enjoyed a good show of thunder and lightning. It's exhilerating! I hope we get another storm soon - but during the day would be better so that I can watch it with the kids :) And possibly even go out for a play in it, if it's warm enough. They slept through it last night. Shame.

I have just booked a holiday this morning. We're going to stay in the middle of Alnwick in Northumberland. We stayed up that way a couple of summers ago, in a caravan in Berwick upon Tweed. Alnwick is where the 'A' is on this map. Berwick is a few miles above that. I didn't want to stay in a caravan again, as they were pretty grotty and smelled of old food. So I've booked a little terraced house for a fortnight. It's very small, but it's still bigger than a caravan. And it's right in the middle of the village of Alnwick, which I understand is very beautiful. We visited Alnwick Castle, and the Alnwick Garden last time, but didn't get chance to look at the village. We will feel like we know the area pretty well this time, so we'll be able to make the best of our fortnight and see all the things we didn't get to see when we visited before. I'm really looking forward to it - it's going to be so relaxing, but lots of fun too. The beach is only 3 or 4 miles away, and it's golden and clean and big and oooooooooooooh!

It's good to explore this area, as it's a place we could move to. After the Berwick holiday we all wanted to live up in the North East, we loved it so much. And there is a power station up there, so Kev could get a job relatively easily. There are not many places that I would move so readily to in this country, but the North East, close to Scotland, is one of them. Lovely people, incredible scenery, LOADS to do. And plenty of fascinating history: the whole region is dripping with stories from centuries past.

Eek! Can't wait. I think the booking of the holiday must account for most of the feeling of potential and excitement today.

But that's not wholly it - there's something else.

The release of Eclipse on the 9th of July? Quite possibly. If Sazzle gets the next two books of the Twilight Saga read, we're going to see Eclipse together. Mmmmmmmm - yummy, Edward!

Also, I've just seen the teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I. Oh. My. Goodness. That looks awesome. Released in November. It could be that that's making me sweaty ...

Or perhaps I'm misinterpreting the palpitations and butterflies - perhaps they are caused by the feeling of motivation that I am experiencing right now. Perhaps at the back of my mind, constantly, is the fact that I'm well into the writing of the second half of my book, and that perhaps I only have one third of the first draft left to write! It could, indeed, be that. Cor! Still a lot of work to do though, even after I've got to the end. I will still have to go right back to the beginning and go through it with a fine toothed comb, not once, maybe not twice, but possibly three or four times. Mmm, satisfying :)

Well, lots of things in the air. I will get on and enjoy them, whatever they are. Afternoon, all.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost forgot - I've got a Stag Do to organise as well! Pants. Better get on with that as well.

Books

So, I've just bought 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'. I don't really know what it's going to be like - except that it will have zombies in it - or if I will like it at all. I've a funny feeling that I've just paid a lot of money for a daft book that looks incredible, all faux-leather bound, but that I will hate. I am a terrible phoney when it comes to reading. You know when you write a profile of yourself? We all have to write profiles these days don't we, for Spacebook and MyFace and all these things? And it asks you what your hobbies are, doesn't it? Well, I always put the usual things that sound very dull and unsociable - reading, writing, walking, thinking, blah, blah, blah... And then it asks you what books are your favourites, and that's when I start to be revealed as a right fraud. I put my usual favourites of Lord of the Rings (everyone has to put that, so that they look intelligent), His Dark Materials, The Art of Happiness; and then the ones that I don't really want to put because society says that I must be embarrassed by them, but I have to put something, so I put Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Twilight!!! And that's when I'm exposed. I'm NOT a great reader, and just like Elizabeth Bennett, I don't deserve such praise (see I've put that there to impress you with my knowledge of literary characters, when everyone knows everything there is to know about Pride and Prejudice - without zombies - because we all did it for GCSE or O Level! Fraud!)

There are quite a lot of people who are great readers (or they say they are - how am I to know if they are telling the truth, when I haven't read any of the Great Books they've read, so I can't ask them questions to try to catch them out!), and usually I've never heard of more than a quarter of the authors and books they mention. I'm ashamed. How can a person be a published author if they haven't read any of the Great Books of our time? I don't even know what the Great Books of our time are! It's not right is it, and it shouldn't be allowed really. I should put more of an effort in, to read good, high-moral-fibre-providing literature. I'll start as soon as I've read the zombie book.

I would dearly love to be a great reader, but I get too obsessed with the trashy stuff. You know the stuff that's designed specifically to suck us in and maintain a firm stranglehold, and make us buy Merchandise? Well, I'm intelligent enough to know that that's what it's written for, but I allow it to take hold of me anyway. *Sigh, at own stupidity* I hardly ever read anything that's obscure, that no-one has really heard of, that is gritty and thought-provoking. I did try Neil Gaiman's American Gods, but got about fifty pages in and realised that I was mind-numbingly bored. I have to assume that since the book was written by someone marvellously talented and brainy, that the fault is with me for being a rubbish reader, and for not being clever enough to care about the characters in Gaiman's story. I preferred Stardust, because it was fun! I like my literature to be fun, if at all possible. And if it's not possible for it to have great dollops of chucklingness, then it at least needs to have some real magic in it. I like Fantasy very much - haven't really tried Science Fiction, but I will at some point. I've always assumed that I'm not clever enough to understand SF, but I've learned lots about science in the past few years, so maybe I could keep up now.

I might possibly be being a little hard on myself actually. Let me look at what I've read this year. I have read a fictional account of the last years of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov. I've read Twilight, twice - ahem, moving swiftly on *blushes horribly, as impure thoughts of Edward Cullen try to invade her mind, again*. I've read The Books of Pellinor by Alison Croggon - stonkingly beautiful fantastical story, lots of magic, very good. I've read almost a whole encyclopaedia of spirits - that was an enormous book; learned a lot about faeries and things. Oh, and I read a few of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels - they're always very, very enjoyable. I read Small Gods - that's my signed copy of Small Gods, yes. Signed by the author, not just by anyone! Yes. Terry Pratchett, yes, I met him. He is the only famous person I have ever met, and not at all a celebrity to be ashamed of :) (Oh, no he isn't the only one, I met the guy with the massive hair out of Toploader whose name I can't remember, but who was incredibly good-looking!)

At the moment I am reading a book called A Fraction of the Whole, a novel by Steven Toltz. I can't really describe it in any way that will do it justice, but it's a funny story about a man, his dad, and his dad's brother. That's all I can tell you really. You'll have to read it - I'm sure my description of it has you completely intrigued!! (Now you can see why I will never be paid to write book reviews!) It's an excellent book, and not like anything I've ever read before - but strangely, it is like something I'm writing. That's quite bizarre because the thing I am writing was started months before I'd even heard of Toltz's book.

Well, I think I have proven, with these witterings today, that I am definitely NOT a great reader. I read a lot of books, but I fall so desperately in love with so many of them that I have to spend a lot of time re-reading books that I've already read more than once. This is a problem, because it means I never get around to reading that biography on Marx that my dad bought for me a few years ago, or that copy of Catch 22 that I got for £2 from HMV in 1999, or that collection of essays on the Elizabethan underworld that I bought from a charity shop when I was sixteen. I really should take my reading more seriously.

So, I will now go and get on with Mr Toltz's book - this is a book I'm not ashamed to be reading, because it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for 2008. Oh yes, it's THAT good. When I've finished it I absolutely will not read Twilight or Harry Potter again, definitely not. At least not this year. Maybe next year. If I've been good and have read several books that are very high-brow indeed. Maybe.

Well, what a shocker!

Who would ever have thought it, after I'd railed so vehemently against it, that I would end up loving it afterall?! I did fully expect to dislike Twilight intensely. I'd read some opinions on a few forums, and had planted myself firmly on the side of the nays. I was determined to see Edward Cullen - the devastatingly beautiful love interest of our feisty heroine, Bella - as an abuser, a tyrant, a control freak. But he's not written that way at all. I have to admit that Stephanie Meyer's writing is beautiful, flowing in such a dreamy and silky way. Her heroine is not at all a damsel, but a strong and independent young woman who makes her own choices. Edward is only possessive and jealous in the same way as we all are when we are in love for the first time - there's nothing sinister about it: which is bizarre, because he's a vampire! It's a beautifully written love story, and I'm completely engrossed in it. The romancy bits are thrilling, but my favourite parts are the conversations that Bella and Edward have. They are very often funny, but always natural. I think that Stephanie Meyer must always have been a great watcher of people; she seems to have a good eye for the subtleties of human emotion and expression.

I've just glanced at the book in front of me, and laughed as I noticed that it says 'Now a Major Motion Picture' - I didn't realise that anyone still called films Motion Pictures. Ha.

Anyway, I don't really feel like writing about anything else this evening. I'm just too eager to get back to my book, get it finished, and get on to the second part. I'll have to get into town to get the last two books soon, as it's not going to take me long to get through them!

Tomorrow I'm being given a morning off :) Kev is off, and he just asked if I'd like to be alone for a few hours. Would I??! James and Matthew are at playschool, and Kev is going to take Thomas out for a bit of golfing practise. Lovely. The house to myself, while I wait in for the washing machine engineer - I shall get to do a bit of writing, in proper peace. D'you know, I might even make a morning of it, and get myself some chocolate too!

Night :)