I’ve decided that the best way to force me to write more posts (even though I love it!) is to start a regular feature. So here is my first ‘Sunday Selection’. A round up of the things that have made me laugh or, more usually, made me wrinkle my face up in confusion or the beginnings of rage!
First up, Mr Nicholas Sparks.
You know, that American author guy responsible for such important literary gems as The Notebook & Dear John. He gave an interview to USA Today who, from the write up, couldn’t believe their look. You can have a read here. It’s amazing. Here are some highlights. When asked for his favourite book of youth he answers “A Walk to Remember” – which he wrote. When asked what he thinks of Pulitzer Prize winning (and all around awesome author) Cormac McCarthy he replies “horrible” and goes on to call Blood Meridian “pulpy”, “overwrought” and “melodramatic”.
And just when you think he can’t seem any more deluded or self-important, he compares himself to Euripedes, Shakespeare and Hemmingway. Because you see, Mr Sparks doesn’t write romance novels; he writes love stories. I can’t help thinking Nicholas has a little issue being a male writer in the romance genre. (Sorry Nick but that’s what you write.) By separating himself, he is belittling the genre his work belongs to, and, in turn, the other authors who work in that genre. You know, women. There is nothing wrong with romance novels, or even love stories, as long as they’re good. And many people, male and female, write better ones than Nick.
Thankfully, the internets promptly started mocking.
The General Election has been called and the world’s gone a bit mad.
Politicians keep popping up on our TV screens to inform us that, “this is not a personality contest”. The more I think about it though, the more I think this isn’t entirely true. Of course, policies are important and the promises our politicians make in the next few days have to form the basis of our decisions. The problem is, personality dictates how we deal with problems. So Gordon Brown’s complete inability to accept that he has done anything wrong is really starting to bother me. The army were never short of equipment. He has never raised his voice to a colleague, let alone threw anything at a secretary. The horrific pension situation had nothing to do with him. Of course politicians have advisors, but we don’t elect them. We elect leaders.
It could be, of course, that I’m just jealous that America has big Barry O. He hasn’t had a perfect run, but he is capable of standing up and admitting that he screwed up. That takes character. Just take a look at this video of Obama playing Horse with a pro basketball player in the same week he’s negotiating a historic nuclear arms treaty. He is relaxed, good-humoured and natural. It’s hard to picture any of our options doing this.
Also, just when you think the Daily Mail could be any more ridiculous, they come back with this story about Sarah Brown's feet!?
But now for some nice things. I saw Kick-Ass the other day and it's fabulous. Don't listen to the ridiculous scare-mongering, go and see it for yourself. I'm not going to go on as other people have said basically what I would have done, only much better! here for example.
I'll leave you with perhaps the geekiest video ever, but one I inexplicably can't stop watching. Just ace animal facts. What can I say, I'm odd.
And yes, I am aware that it's now Monday so Sunday Selection makes less sense but I've been attempting to play the guitar today and so I have extremely sore fingers. All the letters on the left side of the keyboard have inflicted great pain!
I'd love to hear any of your thoughts, just leave me a comment!
