50 Shades of Grey… and Jodi Picoult

There has been plenty of hours worked, books read, navel gazing accomplished and the odd tantrum (or hundred) thrown in for good measure…. and all without even one teeny, tiny bit of blogging about it! Which i might add, in light of recently learning from the fabulous Ms Louise that i’m a bit of a story fondler– basic Martha Beck translation: i deal with stress by rehashing the offending stories to every poor sod that will listen – is rather interesting because it’s hardly been the best few months of my life and there would have been some real goodies to share!

But do not fret, two months later, here i am again to share and share and share some more. Oh, c’mon, you so know that you’ve missed my insightful takes on lifey things!

Today’s lifey thing is all around spanking, safe words and a naughty little book called Fifty Shades of Grey. I so tried to stay away from this one and not get sucked into the madness. I turned away from the ‘three book deals’ and made myself deaf to the heightening chatter… but eventually i could resist no more and The Book Depository got to add another purchase to my weighty history. And, yes, it was just as hot, just as horny and just as averagely written as I’d heard (does EL James have no other cuss words in her depository other than holy f*ck or holy crap???)… i quite enjoyed it - full review here.

But what truly fascinates me about this whole Fifty thing is how some things just grabs the world’s attention and suddenly, it’s trending online, it’s on talk shows galore, and snippets of discussions are caught everywhere from mommy coffee groups at the local cafe to the treadmill section at the gym.

That’s what i love… that there is just no way of predicting what’s going to go viral! It’s awesome that we humans are still so random, so fickle and so unpredictable that the things you least expect are the things that get the most attention. Fact in point – one of the most watched You Tube videos EVER is ‘Charlie bit my finger’… have you seen it?? It’s not that funny. I’ve seen much funnier things… like the sneezing panda, or the dog that tries to chew its own leg. And my husband laughed so hard at Afro Ninja, i thought he was having a hysteria produced coronary. But no, it was a little boy biting his brother’s finger that made it big. IT IS JUST SO RANDOM!

Which brings me onto my next tangent - the right to comment on something that you haven’t actually read, seen or experienced yourself! Oh, man, that PISSES ME OFF! So stand back… ‘cause here it comes!

So, i went and saw Jodi Picoult recently… she was in NZ promoting the book she has written with her daughter, Samantha van Leer. Her daughter was an absolute darl’, i'm sure her mother must be very proud of her. But Jodi… well, i must say her honesty on a lot of things was rather interesting. I thought that being famous didn’t leave a lot of room to say how you actually felt about stuff… or perhaps NZ is so far removed from the rest of the world, what you say here doesn’t count! Either way… it was refreshing and interesting… until she commented on Fifty Shades of Grey.

Now, i’m sure you all know about how this story found its beginnings. But just in case, i’ll add here that it was posted on a Twilight fan site as fan fiction. And i’ll also admit here, that when i first read the book, this i did not know and i did think that Christian Grey (CG) was a bit like Edward in some ways (okay… it was the hair… there aren’t that many leading men with copper coloured hair!). And then there was the minor detail that CG likes to well, how do we say, get a bit rough with his partners… whereas Edward won’t even TOUCH Bella… at least until much later. Jodi commented that EL James had plagiarised (not sure it was that exact word) Twilight to a degree and that she would not be taking it as well as Stephenie Meyer had because it’s downright unethical. Honestly, i can’t recall the exact wording because by this stage, there was ringing in my ears but I’m sure you get the gist. For me though, the real clanger was that SHE HADN’T EVEN READ THE BOOK!!!!! Which, in my eyes, means that you pretty much have to keep your comments to yourself!!!! If she had read the book, i’m she would have worked out that the stories were very, very, VERY different… but i kind of got the feeling that she felt too good for that sort of trash anyhoo!

But honestly Jodi, c’mon, there aren’t any truly original stories to be told anymore… just variations of the same themes. So why not give little EL James a break. Or read the book – then you can comment to your heart’s content.

Ok, i need a wee little lie down after that.

Kiss kiss love love

BBxx

This is why i could never do it...

One of my friends recently showed me this of Rachel McAdams auditioning for the part in The Notebook (probably one of my all time favourite movies)... the sheer emotion of it, without anything other than herself to work with (apart from Ryan's voice - which admittedly is pretty H-O-T!), gave me goosebumps! I could just never ever do that so freely and unselfconscioulsy... acting is such an amazing talent i reckon! AH-MAZE! Totes ah-maze!      

Soooo beautiful it takes my breath away....

Uniquely Unique Uniqueness

So, here’s the thing. I don’t believe there’s enough uniqueness in the world. It’s not really something that’s encouraged in your childhood like say, getting good grades or being well mannered. And since most of us never actually leave the playground anyhow, that means that there is a hell of a lot of us running around out there pretending to be the same cookie-cuttered person as the next cookie-cuttered person. I mean, God forbid anyone stands out too much.

Me? I celebrate it. I love it. I seek it out. I’m not as brave as I’d like to be so i look up to those that are with a barefaced respect and admiration... and a teeny pinch of jealousy for their braveness. To just be who you are, in all your glory, is a wonderful place to come from if it’s genuine, sincere and not forced... and not to just shock the hell out of everyone (at least not completely!).

A few Sundays back, i had a decadently lazy afternoon (i say that like it doesn’t happen very often, but it totally does!) and got out a whole clump of girly movies that i watched back to back. The list included ‘One Day’, which, as expected, was average... although i will say that i thought Anne Hathaway did a much better job with her character than Jim Sturgess... quite contrary to the reviews. And my pg 385 experience was no less shocking albeit not as beautifully crafted. But there were STILL tears.  

Then there was ‘Jane Eyre’, which since i don’t (can’t) read classics, was only vaguely aware that some dark secret was lurking in some dark attic. The scene where he begs her to stay  was completely goose bump worthy...  only watch if you don’t mind a bit of a spoiler – it’s here! Mia Wasikowska (from good old Canberra, Australia!) is breathtaking in this! And we all know that Michael Fassbender is, like, the next George Clooney they say.   

But the movie that’s most relevant to this post (although Mia is pretty unique!) is called ‘Waiting for Forever’ with Tom Sturridge and Rachel Bilson. I adored the manner in which the main character, Will Donner, was so comfortable in his own skin and uniqueness. Admittedly, he pretty much got there by eluding some rather large home truths, but i loved it all the same. It did leave me wondering though if  i only loved this unique boy who wears pyjamas in the day because it’s not actually real and he’s really quite beautiful to watch. Would i love it so much if it was my brother??  Or mate? I’m too scared to think about it in case i don’t like the answer.



Photo courtesy of Gala Darling



Which brings me onto a real person, living a real life, and doing real things  in such a funkylicious manner that i writhe with equal measures of jealousy and wonder. Meet Gala Darling. You may know her or have heard of her (she gets about half a million hits on her blog a month) but this wee girl from Wellington is totally living the dream and getting paid for being nothing but her very unique self. NZ Herald did a piece on her here and she was not so long ago interviewed for TVNZ - very interesting! Plus, she wants others to join her and love themselves exactly as they are - check out her TEDx video on her site, some thought provoking stats . She's totally rockin' and i'm sure you'll enjoy her quirky ways and loving messages just as much as i do.

I'm volunteering at The Auckland Writers & Readers Festival this weekend... there are so sure to be stories from that!  Stand by please caller....  

Kiss kiss love love

BBx

PS Forgot to mention that i just finished 'The Secret lives of Dresses' by Erin McKean. I loved the idea... but to be honest, i got a bit bored! You might enjoy it... give it a go and see. Beautiful cover.   

PSS While i was blogging, this was on TV and it was FASCINATING (i was watching the suit one)... so in line with my post - The New Old 

       

Stop 1: Book. Stop 2: Movie. (or vice versa)

I have a wee obsession.

Okay, yes, fine, i have several wee obsessions – ranging from my inappropriate use of exclamation marks at the end of everything, taking photos of clouds in the sky, the Beckhams and their perfect life, and the use of the very Americanised ‘O.M.G’ and ‘Shut up’ at the beginning of a lot of my sentences!!! -  but let’s just take a look at the one that’s really relevant to this post: My obsession with book to movie conversions!

I LOVE THEM! Yes, yes, blah, blah… some do nothing but rape and pillage what was a frecken awesome book (‘My Sister’s Keeper’ anyone??). So to avoid this, my personal preference is to see the movie first, then move on to the book. Not always possible, but oh so preferable. ‘Why?’ you ask. Well, you probably won’t be disappointed that way. You see, when you read a book… the stage is fully yours… you create your reality of the story in your own head. Whereas with a movie, its someone else’s reality. And mostly, we believe that our reality is the right one… so the movie will probably suck for you.  

So, where is all this coming from… ?? Why, my reading and DVD choices these past few weeks of course! (Side note: As i’m writing this, i’m watching The Notebook, which i adore… did you know that Ryan Gosling wore brown contacts to play the part??)

My very loyal followers (so that’s my mom, sis and a small handful of mates that feel like they have to read this in case i ask them about it!) would have noticed that i haven’t blogged for quite a few weeks. That’s because instead of hanging with you dudes, i headed to Melbourne to help a friend with some filming (oh, yes, my life is just glamour, glamour, glamour!) and it was just kind of crazy after that. So, on Monday night after work and doing some much needed grocery shopping, i flopped onto the couch and popped on ‘Something borrowed’ expecting nothing much at all. Well, well, well… how surprised was i – i thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, i loved it.

It’s the story of Rachel (played by Ginnifer Goodwin – with awesome bangs!), a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy (played by Kate Hudson – in all her blonde gorgeousness!), throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé (the very delicious Colin Egglesfield – not hard to see why they all wanted to marry him!). Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Mention does have to be made here of the other great characters too, especially John Krasinski who has some fantastic one liners. And the 'No, I didn't pull my vagina! I just pulled... near my vagina.' scene is classic! 

No surprises though, as with most of my movie favs, it’s been panned for all the reasons i loved it from here to New York review wise – which btw is where the book is based and looks fabbo. Quite typical... my love of escapism, light hearted trash that gives me über warm fuzzies mostly means that my movie choices are more likely to get nominated for Razzies rather than Oscars! Oh, to be an intellectual… not! Seems sooo boring and intense. So, of course, onto Book Depository i jumped and ordered the book (plus the second book ‘Something Blue’... they had a 10% off on all books!). Now i just have to wait and see if it will live up to the hype in my head. Will keep you posted. (I checked out Emily Giffin’s website... i kind of feel like she might be living my life... sigh!)

Which brings me to the book i’ve just finished… ‘OneDay’ by David Nicholls. For some obscure reason – ‘cause i’m yet to see the movie – i had an overwhelming need to read it and had to literally get into the car and drive to Whitcoulls right there and then rather than order it from my usual channels (online or library).

‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’
He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’

15th July 1988. Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways.
So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year which follows?

And that is what makes this book so amazing. It’s written to span across about 20 years but each chapter covers only one day  - 15 July - the day they met! That is so, so, so super ingenious and clever, i can just about wet my pants in envy! And then, on pg 385… holy f*ckburgers… well, you’ll need to read it yourself to see what happens. I’ll just say i did NOT expect that. So, now i’ve got to see the movie… and I’m scared… ‘cause reliving that part reminds me why i read escapism trash with vampires rather than real stuff from real life. (Reviews are scathings though... so might not be so bad!) 

Ah, and it was library day this week… really i just go there, pick up some random and big glossy picture books for me and the man, come home and flip through them for the next 6 weeks. Heavenly! Love the library. It's one of my happy places. 

v  Images of war : World War One : a photographic record of New Zealanders at war 1914-1918 / Glyn Harper and Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum.

v  Legendary sites of the ancient world : an illustrated guide to over 80 major archaeological discoveries, with expert commentary and more than 350 photographs and maps / Paul Bahn.

v  Eyewitness to history : from ancient times to the modern era / Stephen G. Hyslop, Bob Somerville and John Thompson ; foreword by James Reston, Jr.

v  Modern vintage style / Emily Chalmers ; words by Ali Hanan ; photography by Debi Treloar.

v  Hunting for a hobby / Trevor Paul Bentley.

v  The fashion file : advice, tips, and inspiration from the costume designer of Mad men / Janie Bryant with Monica Corcoran Harel ; foreword by January Jones ; illustrations by Robert Best

v  New York : flying high / [photograhs, Michael Yamashita ; text, Elizabeth Bibb].

v  The blood type diet cookbook / Karen Vago & Lucy Degrémont.

v  Maximise your health with the blood type diet : a revolutionary plan to achieve optimum wellness / James L. D'Adamo ; with Allan Richards.

v  The story of forgetting : a novel / Stefan Merrill Block.

v  Noble purpose : igniting extraordinary passion for life and work / Barry Heermann.

v  A space of my own : inspirational ideas for home offices, craft rooms, and studies / Caroline Clifton-Mogg.

v  Moments : the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs : a visual chronicle of our time / Hal Buell ; foreword by David Halberstam.

v  A matter of style : intimate portraits of 10 women who changed fashion / [text by Paola Saltari ; preface by Anna Molinari ; text translation by Alan Goldwater].

Ok, that's me out...

Kiss kiss love love

BBxx

Oh, Auckland, this is not your best....

Easter eggs and Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver Trilogy

Ah, Easter! One of my favourite times of year where it’s not only encouraged, but completely expected that you eat non-stop chocolate until you vomit… or at least feel overwhelmingly nauseous! And if you don’t… well, then, you’re simply not doing it right and need to try harder.

(Totally unrelated note – as i write this, the man is completely absorbed watching The Masters (i know, that’s a whole other blog!). It’s got incredibly dramatic theme music… every time i hear it; i think it’s the opening bars of the latest big James Cameron blockbuster! It’s so USA! USA! USA!).

And, swiftly-moving-on…

Even more reason to love Easter is that there’s not one, but TWO public holidays nicely bookended with a weekend in between to honour this most wonderful of wonderful chocolate eating celebrations. Of course, me and the man didn’t have to be asked twice before we raced up to the in-laws ‘cute-as-a-button’ bach in sleepy Northland for the weekend. So it was here, in Mangonui, ensconced in my idea of nirvana, surrounded by chocolate bunnies, cups of tea, freshly battered fish, chilled wine, hot cakes and even more chocolate bunnies that i finished the last book in Maggie Stiefvater’s stunning ‘Shiver Trilogy’.

Once upon a time, i never read a book more than once. And i also never paid for books either. Now, i treasure my growing library and with my penchant for Trilogies, Fourlogies, Fivelogies and Sevenlogies, i often have to reread books to remember the finer details before i can launch into the new stuff. But luckily, with writers like Maggie Stiefvater, it’s nothing but a pleasure to re-read lines that are so heart stoppinly beautiful and lyrically exquisite that you could read them again and again and again…


Take this paragraph….


‘…Then i picked my book up again and stroked her hair and read to the soundtrack of her breaths. The weight of her pinned my fleeting thoughts to the ground, and in that moment, i was more in the world than I’d ever been.’

See? See? Pretty awesome, huh?

But i’m getting ahead of myself. You don’t even know what it’s all about and i’m expecting you to ooohhh and ahhhh. So, here we go… Shiver Trilogy 101:

'For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.'

The saga starts with Shiver, moves onto Linger and finishes off with Forever, and as if the writing and story ain’t amazeballs enough, the cover artwork for all three books is totally da’ bomb.

As i read and read and read, i had no idea where Maggie was going with it all - or even how I wanted her to go - but there were definitely parts that i held my breath through, too scared to anticipate the outcome or how brave Ms Stiefvater was going to be with her characters.

I won’t say much more, i’ll instead let you experience it all for yourself – glorious chapter by glorious chapter. But i will say this: i miss Sam, Grace, Isabel and Cole… and that to me is the mark of a totally kick arse book (and writer)… it’s when you’re genuinely sad to no longer be part of their worlds, and find yourself wishing that there were some words left to read that still made them part of yours.

Kiss kiss love love

BBxx