Julia Gillard = Superhero

So long Avengers. Good bye X-Men. Take a break Justice League, there’s a new hero in town and she’s wearing a sensible pants suit.

Imagine my delight as I read the local newspaper, here in Kuantan, to find an article extolling the virtues of my country’s PM! Julia Gillard calling Tony Abbott on his own hypocrisy has got to be one of my favourite moments in modern Australian politics. Well done Julia! I hope that this will bolster women in the workplace who have to put up with some of the crap that Julia has during her time as PM. And thank you for reminding me that female superheroes aren’t all tiny waisted, large breasted, overly sexualised “wonder women” and can in fact be the person that was elected to stand up for my interests (despite the fact that I’m an Aussie abroad).

Are you ashamed of skipping parts of books? | Robert McCrum | Books | guardian.co.uk

Are you ashamed of skipping parts of books? | Robert McCrum | Books | guardian.co.uk.

 

It’s a topic that is worthy of our attention. Does it count as finished if I have left large chunks unread? Unlike “The 20 page rule” (give it 20 pages, then give it 20 more) skipping pages can turn a book that you’d rather not finish, into a book that’s quickly completed. I’m sure I’m not alone in my confusion about being “allowed” to skip parts of books. While I’ve never been one to follow the “rules” of reading, being an avid margin scribbler and end of book reader this one has me in a muddle.

Do you skip? Is it “allowed”?

Life in Pictures…

This week in my life.

Painted my nails with gold glitter! Love sparkly nails.

I sent some mail out to my pen pals Tracy and Laura. And I started reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

Bought Tawny Scrawny Lion for my friend Fee and wrote on the Where’s Wally postcard to send off. I also started the lace pattern on my Ishbel shawl and made a little bookmark.

Video of the Week: Books! #2

I’m falling into reading quite well at the moment. Even though I do currently have 4+ books on the go right now and I sometimes get a bit confused, I’m still loving being transported to a different world. And that’s why today’s video of the week is all about our paper and glue friend.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Life in Pictures.

My life of late has:

Seen me peruse the Op Shops around my town. I found this amazing lounge suite in one outside of my city! Awesome right?

Imagine them with a really dark red or purple corduroy upholstery. Fabulous for reading. With a brown alpaca afghan and a nice big mug of strong tea. Brilliant. But alas I have no where to put them and I doubt they’ll still be there when I do.

This guy survived the whole trip to and from the supermarket, clinging to my rear vision mirror. It reminded me of that scene in A Bee Movie where the insects are clinging to the windshield (or was it A Bug’s Life?).

I have also been reading a lot and knitting like a trooper! And watching Speed for the 15 millionth time! Although I didn’t see it to the end, the perils of sharing a television!

And finally, on a cold and rainy day, I took refuge in the delightful cafe Nanna’s for a pot of piping hot tea and a slice of fruit toast, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

How’s your week been?

Time’s a Wasting

 

“If you read one book a week, starting at the age of 5, and live to be 80, you will have read a grand total of 3,900 books, a little over one-tenth of 1 percent of the books currently in print.”

– Lewis Buzbee, The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop

Loathe List

 

It’s Thursday, must be time to tell you all the stuff I hate this week.

1. Swagger or Swag.  Oh you think you have swag? In my country a swag is a roll out bed and all your belongings bundled up into one neat pack, used specifically by bushmen or camping types. I don’t think you have a swag. I appreciate it when old words get reused, I like the fluidity of language so it’s not the words that I’m against here it’s the constant use. I’m so sick of hearing about such and such having swag and swagger. All I’m going to think is that such and such is a giant douche. Oh wait I thought that already!

2. Book hype. I think I hate this one because it’s the one that sucks me in so easily. I really hate myself around book hype. I get all consumer driven and desperate. “My life won’t be complete until I’ve read ‘Important Book’! I must have it now!” And before I know it I’ve spent $30 on The Night Circus and I’m never going to finish it because, in the end, I was swept up by the idea of the book more than it’s merits.

3. Over the top Photoshop. “Um excuse me, Beyonce? Are you really Beyonce? You look nothing like your pictures.” May I direct you here and here for evidence? Is it any wonder that women are killing themselves (figuratively, hyperbolically and literally) to fit an image that is completely unattainable? Don’t even get me started on the whole feminist rant that I have for this.

4. Reality TV. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it until everyone bloody well agrees with me. Reality TV is ruining our brains. I don’t want to watch another TV show about housewives or weird people who are products of their environments! I hate watching shows about parents exploiting their children and vice versa. I want to sit down and watch TV that has a plot thank you very much! I know I can just switch of and I do, but TV content is becoming so focussed on “reality” that I’m running out of things to watch. And I love TV. I grew up with TV! I’m a TV nerd. Perhaps not so much anymore.

Thursday gripe done! Begone and spread the word!

Late Saturday Lit (my favourite books).

Hey you guys.

Yesterday my friend KK was around and asked to borrow some books. I have no problem lending books so long as the reader has no problem with the state of my books. I’m not sure if I have mentioned it before but I love marginalia, and if I can’t find an appropriate book mark I’ll fold down the corner. It’s how I roll, don’t judge me! Stop it! I can feel your judgement.

Anyway I happily loaned out to KK three books that I thought she would like based on her recent reads and I hope she does enjoy them.

Inspired by recommending novels to friends I thought I’d put together this list of my favourite books. I believe in reading for pleasure so this isn’t a must read list, it’s just some that I love. In no particular order:

• Four to Score by Janet Evanovich. Not the first in the series, which is just as good and a great place to start. This one is my favourite in the whole series though, and I think she’s up to number 17!
• Emma by Jane Austen. Emma is a snob, she thinks she knows everything that there is to know but she’s actually quite clueless. I like this novel because Emma has faults, something that the more popular Austen characters “lack”. I know none of them are perfect, it’s just that some are more perfect than others and Emma, who is socially high ranking, is probably the furthest from perfect of the lot of them!
• Earthly Delights by Kerry Greenwood. Another mystery novel, this time with a “plus-size” heroine. Corinna Chapman may just be the best heroine I’ve come across. I want to be her best friend please.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Scout, Jem and Atticus Finch. Need I say more.
• The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman. Subtle anti-semitism at a summer resort for “gentiles” in 1960s America. I bought this book when I was 18, too young to fully understand this book, so it sat on my shelf gathering dust until one day I picked it up and couldn’t put it down until I was done.

This is in no way a definitive list, just 5 that I truly loved reading. Nor do I solely love female authors as this list would suggest. I also love Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, especially Tiffany Aching. Bill Bryson is my favourite travel author. Iain Pears writes marvellous European art mysteries.

Perhaps next week I’ll fill you in on the books that shaped my adolescence? Righteo then.

Judy-May out!