OK, so that last post was a bit crap

Follow-up to Filling in Space from Putting Cheese in the Mouseholes

Welllllllll it's not my fault, is it? Having been instructed to keep up a blog and update it fairly often, that's what happens.

So, what has Gwen been up to this holiday? Well, not much. Sitting about, reading, writing a bit, trying to ignore Dad in the background as he asks me a thousand innocuous questions about the camera I have barely used but whose batteries keep running out.

I'm so happy to see my cats again (which apparently I should never say online if I'm looking for a romantic partner - I read in some article that people think you're all hairy and dusty and wear your hair in a loose bun at the top of your head with bits falling out all over your mammoth-sized jumper)

Woman who owns a cat. 

Catwoman.

A cat. (One of mine, in fact)

So, have I actually done anything of interest lately? Well, I'm going to gobble lunch, then I'm going on a walk in the sunshine, then I'm going to the cinema to see Amazing Grace to druel over Ioan Gruffudd and, no doubt, experience some sort of catharsis.

See you later.

: 01 Apr 2007 12:53 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Filling in Space

First things first - the song below is rather mopey and sad, so smile:

OK, now the song (inhale): 

Hear me one last time
before you insist I close my mind.
Mull over all the things I've said,
think of all the hints I've left...
The words of this song
(this ember of my love)
I'll snuff before long.
Hear it's one last lonesome flicker
in this song.

And if there is any hope
say it, say it, say it;
say it, say it, say it;
say it now.

Oh speak before this song sighs
into silence, silence, silence;

(pause)

(quieter) silence, silence, silence;

(pause)

(even quieter) silence, silence, silence...
I'm still hoping, so speak up now.

Hear me just one last final time
before you close my lips with a sigh:
remember all those things I said
which now you say I should forget,
the embers of this heart
(the victim of your fire)
I'll snuff of all desire...
hear its one last lonesome flicker
in this song.

Hear this one last

(pause)

lonesome

(pause)

flicker

(long pause)

in
this
song.

*sob*

There there. It's over. Cheer up again:

: 27 Mar 2007 19:47 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Becoming Jane is the one to see

Alright, so I'm going a bit Jane Austen MAD here, but recently I saw the film Becoming Jane and since I loved it I think a little mention of it on the old blog won't hurt. Plus James McAvoy is so very very handsome.

Alright, so perhaps not so much as the lovable faun in The Chronicles of Narnia, but that was a dreary film so lets not think about it too much.

So, Becoming Jane:

Hathaway was lovely, although my father said she let her accent slip at times (this comment was made only after I had told him she was American), and I felt that she and McAvoy acted beautifully together. Not just because they're both lovely to look at, but because they clearly portrayed their character's passion for one other. My heart was pounding whenever they were in each other's company. Their chemistry was outstanding. If you like Jane Austen, costume dramas in general, druel-worthy cinematography, fabulous acting or just a good romance full of sexual tension, then this film is for you.

Not as much could be said about ITV's adaptation of Mansfield Park. 'Twas really rather sad. Billie Piper was alright, but she wasn't quite shy enough, and her hair pissed me off - seriously whoever did the hair for it was an idiot. No woman would wander around with their hair looking exactly as we have it today. Growl. The camera work was tragic, as per usual for TV, with all the dodgy 'wobbly vision, but on purpose' bollocks.

'But why do you insist on wobbling the camera?'
'It looks good. It's fashionable. It's modern and styalistic.'
'Yes, but it gives the viewer a headache.'
'Hm. Your loss if you don't understand our genius visions of artistic briliance.'

ARGH. But there was a consolation ... Edmund was played by Blake Ritson, and he did it rather well ... actually the acting over all was good, really. It was the camera work that let it down. Also the music, like the hairstyling, was too modern at many points. I'm sure it was all on purpose, but it just didn't fit. And for some reason the plot didn't seem to work, either. They skimmed it down too much. Damn ITV, I was looking forward to it so much and they went and ruined it.

: 19 Mar 2007 17:02 |  Tags: Films |  Comments (6) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Sense and Sensibility

Many things have happened to me since the last time I saw the film version of Jane Austen's classic. I've had many more experiences concerning love, physical attraction, and venturing the world as a lone adult.

I have to say the depth of emotions I empathised with while watching the film exceeded my expecations. Feelings that didn't even occur to me existed to the extent that they do the last time I saw the film popped up everywhere. The overiding emotions were 1) the sheer thrill of the encapsulated moment when everthing seems just right,

followed by 2) the maturing aftermath of pain which seems deep and eternal and just plain nasty when you realise how very perfect things were, and how you've lost them.

Nice and cheery for a sunny day, eh?

Of course, as time moves on, you move on with it and find Alan Rickman to replace the passion of your life, or discover that Hugh Grant really did love you after all. And through it all the strength of the emotion you once felt stays with you.

Blimey, re-reading this post it sounds as though some incredible relationship of mine has just ended. Ha, no worries. My experience of the emotions in the film are not all restricted to one relationship or another, but more of a montage of about five years. Just so people know I'm not aiming this post at anyone! :)

: 14 Mar 2007 17:22 |  Tags: Films |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Putting Cheese in the Mouseholes

Mr Pugh, in the School House opposite, takes up the morning tea to Mrs Pugh, and whispers on the stairs:

MR PUGH

Here's your arsenic, dear.
And your weedkiller biscuit.
I've throttled your parakeet.
I've spat in the vases.
I've put cheese in the mouseholes.
Here's your...
                       [Door creaks open]
...nice tea, dear.

Why did I choose this extract of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood as an inspiration for the title of my blog? Because the imagery used makes me chuckle in awe. I felt I needed to share this chuckle.

An inspiration.

Second inspiration of the day, discovered by me not long after (and just that little bit cooler than) John Denver:

Robert Johnson - a blues singer. A legend. Hot.

And I feel so lonesome
you hear me when I moan...

Now you know the coils ain't even buzzin
little generator won't get the spark

Motors in a bad condition
you gotta have these batteries charged

But I'm cryin please
please don't do me wrong

Who been drivin my terraplane now for
you-hoo since I've been gone...

I had been playing Terraplane Blues (lyrics above) from a guitar book for ages, and only found the initiative to download it yesterday. This was a good idea. He is also an interesting guy to research: there are only two photos of him in existence, he wrote a load of songs, and was supposedly poisened at a fairly young age ... that's pretty much all people know of him. I love trying to fill in the gaps.

: 12 Mar 2007 14:41 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Discoveries

I've made two discoveries today, both of which I should have made a lot earlier on:

1) the path behind Rootes,

and

2) John Denver. My hero.

: 10 Mar 2007 18:07 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The Secrets of Morality

What is morality?

I've been handing out surveys. The questions are not all specifically on morality. They look like this:

Anonymous Survey

What’s the point of this survey?

My name is Gwen Kent and I am an English Literature and Creative Writing student at the University of Warwick. I have been instructed to investigate whatever I am intrigued by for a report – my chosen path was that of our relationship, as individuals, with society. This survey is a way of gathering general information about people’s relationship with their social surroundings. Thank you for your time.

1. Have you ever had desires that you never told anyone about?
Yes
No (if no go to question 3)

2. Is this because they are socially unacceptable, or because you are embarrassed by them?
Because they are socially unacceptable
Because you are embarrassed
Both

Other (please specify)

3. Have you ever seriously considered doing something that you wanted to do, but resisted it because of what others would think?

Yes
No (if no go to question 5)

4. Who were these ‘others’? (tick all that apply)

Your parents
Your family in general
Your friends
Your fellow workers

Society in general

5. Have your ever seen a psychiatrist?
Yes (go to question 8)
No

6. Have you ever felt you needed to see a psychiatrist?
Yes
No (go to question 8)

7. Why didn’t you? (tick all that apply)
I felt my problem wasn’t serious enough
I thought I could handle it by myself
Religion helped me through it
My friends helped me through it
My parents helped me through it
A sibling helped me through it
I didn’t have enough money.

8. Are you religious?
Yes
No
Agnostic

9. If your answer to question 8. was ‘yes’: how ‘religious’ (ie, how much do you believe in and follow the doctrines of your religion) are you?
Very religious
Fairly religious
I only loosely follow the doctrines of my religion

10. If you answer to question 8. was ‘no’: how do you feel about there being no written document which gives one a moral code to follow?
No problem, I follow my own moral code
The Law is my code 

I follow what my family and friends think have taught me is moral
Morals are a fiction (go to question 13)

11. Would you say you are a moral person?
Yes
No
I’m not sure

12. In as few words as possible, explain what the word ‘moral’ means to you.

13. Have you ever considered that your personality is a construct, developed by the fear of what other’s opinions of you are?
Yes, and I disagree
Yes, and I agree
Yes, and I’m not sure whether it’s true or not
Haven’t thought about it

14. Have you ever been afraid that your life, due to social expectations, will not be what you want it to be?
Yes
No

15. Rank the following characteristics 1-9, according to you, in order of positivity and importance (1 being most positive/important, 9 being least):

Confidence

Modesty

Compassion

Sense of Humour

Fidelity

Enthusiasm

Patience

Forgiveness

Honesty

16. Rank the following characteristics 1-8, according to you, in order of negativity (1 being most negative, 8 being least):

Arrogance

Anger

Ignorance

Lust

Pride

Gluttony

Vanity

Selfishness

Basically, I constructed the survey before I knew precisely what I wanted to look at, but now - based on the few results I have - I'm intrigued by questions 11, 12 and 13. Everybody so far said they were a moral person, but few actually described what they thought 'moral' meant. The most intriguing and provokative definition so far is: Following the rules of society. Considering what others would want you to do in a particular situation.

Some people have been most affronted by question 13, saying 'that's ridiculous, you're a fool, who in the world thinks that', while others have raised no objections whatsoever and quietly ticked the box 'Yes, and I agree'.

If you would like to assist me in my project, by filling out a servey or leaving a comment on any of the mentioned issues, please do. You can send a filled out a survey to my email, gwenfron.kent@warwick.ac.uk, if the mood takes you.

ps, a big thank you to those who have already taken part. :)

: 08 Mar 2007 12:36 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Oh, The Reading

Yes, so English is my chosen degree, but I have a nasty secret: I am a slow reader.

That's right, I cannot physically skim read. It's impossible. I have to go through each sentence and take absolutely everything, each word, each full stop, in. Occasionally, if I'm not 'in the mood', if the gods feel like tormenting me for their sport, then I don't take anything in, even if I try my hardest and force myself to stare at the page, read it aloud, sing it - nothing works. A shutter behind my eyes which links them to my brain goes up, and the connection, just like that, is cut.

Of course, sometimes I have good days, where I read a book and some in a day. These are rare. 

Overall, this is a devistating disability in the face of an English Degree. Thank goodness this year isn't assessed is all I can say - the reading for next year I'll do in the summer.

Well, better get to the torturous business in the time I have left before my lecture ...

: 06 Mar 2007 11:19 |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

England

It's a dreary place until something like this happens.

I'm a big guitar fan. Acoustic, folk - fantastic. My favourite album of all time has to be Simon and Garfunkel live in New York. Their lyrics, although often clichéd, are, as far as I'm concerned, wonderful.

They taught me anapaests, And the leaves that are green turn to brown, and through that I understood the basic concepts of rhythm, and how it can turn language into music, and what makes the pop songs of today complete shite.

Compare the lyrics of, say, the Backstreet Boys:

You are my fire
My one desire
Believe me when I say
That I want it that way

And then Simon and Garfunkel:

...And how the room has softly faded,
And I only kiss your shadow,
I cannot feel your hand,
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation
And superficial sighs
In the borders of our lives.

Simon and Garfunkel any day.

: 04 Mar 2007 23:08 |  Comments (4) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Blog Number Three

Rather embarrassingly, this is my third blog. The first one I started in May 2006. It's a great thing, and I've had an affection for it since, well, since May 2006. I've always loved designing things, and the limited aesthetic options available in the blogosphere are just as exciting as any empty canvas. The content is essentially whatever whenever. If I feel like writing, I write. If I don't, I don't. Some months I have over six entries, others none. Simple. So this whole 'two day' thing is a challenge and I'm wondering whether I'll be able to keep up.

The second blog I started is a bit shameful, really - I created a fictional character. People think he's real. Sad, but surprisingly fun. Especially when I got an avid fan of my character. But, predictably, this enjoyment wasn't without it's guilt - I had created a fictitious character who meant something to someone because they thought he was real. But then, why should it matter? Even if he was real they would never meet anyway. So, I'm still keeping that blog, though sporadically.

And now there's this one. Marvelous.

See you in two days.

: 02 Mar 2007 16:42 |  Comments (4) |  Close comments |  Report a problem