cordelianne (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cordelianne) wrote2005-07-04 01:22 am
cordelianne) wrote2005-07-04 01:22 am
Geez, crack a book sometime. (btvs 5:2)
Even though I'm totally free from reading any books until I decide I'm ready again (damn my English Lit degree for making me hate reading) ... I've halted all tv watching for some intensive reading. Of course it's not like I'm reading War & Peace or even finishing one of the novels I never completed during my degree (eg. Middlemarch), I'm re-reading the Harry Potter novels in preparation for the new book!
Re-reading the books is getting me into a frenzy of excited anticipation. I even ordered Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Amazon.ca so I could get the discount and the Saturday home delivery.
The Harry Potter books are basically the only novels I've read for pleasure during the last few years of my English degree. I'm impressed at how J.K. Rowling is able to enthrall me in the story and the universe - no other book has done that for me in a long time.
I did have to stop myself from critiquing the books for areas of simplicity and remember that they are aimed at kids (even though Rowling clearly works to include an adult audience).
Things I've done instead of watching television shows and reading Harry Potter (yeah long weekend!!):
- Watched War of the Worlds: Very exciting and Tom Cruise didn't ruin it for me. I appreciated the modernized adaptation of the novel, particularly how the slow parts of the novel were sped up and they cut out the second plot (the brother's escape) which slows down the story in the book. There were some really cool shots - particularly when the explosions were shown through the rear view mirror.
- Watched Cinderella Man: Maybe it's that I'm PMSing but I was totally in the mood for a sappy feel-good movie. Russell Crowe totally embodies Jim Braddock - it really is an impressive performance. I also loved seeing Toronto transformed into 1930s New York and New Jersey.
- Attended the Dream in High Park's Much Ado About Nothing: I always enjoy Shakespeare, so it was fun. Beatrice and Benedick are absolutely the best part - I'm a big fan of romantic sparring banter, less so of the insipid romantics of Claudio and Hero. Dogberry (the constable in charge of the watch) is such a hoot with his continual misuse of words.
- Watched a CFL game (Canadian Football League): A few of my friends are really into football and are nice enough to explain it to me, so it can be fun to watch with them.
- Hiked on the Kay Gardener Beltline Trail: It was a beautiful day today (the heat had sort of broken) so my friend and I had a relaxing 2 hour hike. We even ran into some guy we used to vaguely know in the early years of university.
- Ate out a few times and had a good time hanging out with friends. I enjoyed a really yummy Strawberry Margarita last night.
- Bought a bathing suit. I ended up paying way more than I wanted, but I think it looks cute. Now I can actually go swimming when I'm up in Manitoba and Northern Ontario in a few days (yeah access to lakes that aren't as disgustingly polluted as Lake Ontario!).
Re-reading the books is getting me into a frenzy of excited anticipation. I even ordered Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Amazon.ca so I could get the discount and the Saturday home delivery.
The Harry Potter books are basically the only novels I've read for pleasure during the last few years of my English degree. I'm impressed at how J.K. Rowling is able to enthrall me in the story and the universe - no other book has done that for me in a long time.
I did have to stop myself from critiquing the books for areas of simplicity and remember that they are aimed at kids (even though Rowling clearly works to include an adult audience).
Things I've done instead of watching television shows and reading Harry Potter (yeah long weekend!!):
- Watched War of the Worlds: Very exciting and Tom Cruise didn't ruin it for me. I appreciated the modernized adaptation of the novel, particularly how the slow parts of the novel were sped up and they cut out the second plot (the brother's escape) which slows down the story in the book. There were some really cool shots - particularly when the explosions were shown through the rear view mirror.
- Watched Cinderella Man: Maybe it's that I'm PMSing but I was totally in the mood for a sappy feel-good movie. Russell Crowe totally embodies Jim Braddock - it really is an impressive performance. I also loved seeing Toronto transformed into 1930s New York and New Jersey.
- Attended the Dream in High Park's Much Ado About Nothing: I always enjoy Shakespeare, so it was fun. Beatrice and Benedick are absolutely the best part - I'm a big fan of romantic sparring banter, less so of the insipid romantics of Claudio and Hero. Dogberry (the constable in charge of the watch) is such a hoot with his continual misuse of words.
- Watched a CFL game (Canadian Football League): A few of my friends are really into football and are nice enough to explain it to me, so it can be fun to watch with them.
- Hiked on the Kay Gardener Beltline Trail: It was a beautiful day today (the heat had sort of broken) so my friend and I had a relaxing 2 hour hike. We even ran into some guy we used to vaguely know in the early years of university.
- Ate out a few times and had a good time hanging out with friends. I enjoyed a really yummy Strawberry Margarita last night.
- Bought a bathing suit. I ended up paying way more than I wanted, but I think it looks cute. Now I can actually go swimming when I'm up in Manitoba and Northern Ontario in a few days (yeah access to lakes that aren't as disgustingly polluted as Lake Ontario!).
no subject
i'm glad you liked the high park shakespeare in the park. i wanna make a point to go this year.
yo, sorry that i haven't picked up my fuckin blanket. let me know when a good time for you would be and i'll try to make it happen this week. i have
no subject
I'm out of town from Wednesday July 6 to Sunday July 10th - for lots of family visiting and a wedding but it should be still be fun.
To minimize my use of vacation days I worked Monday and I'm working in the afternoon/evening on Tuesday (technically today). If you want to pop by to pick up the blanket on Tuesday that could work - call me at work (or at home) so we can make arrangements.
Hope to see you soon!