I've decided to add a page to my blog, and I'm about to add another. Both I am very excited about. The reasons behind them are partially due to organisation, partially due to determination, and partially due to me being a big fat geek!
These new pages are my books to read this year...
... which as I've now started this list I don't know if I really want to ever buy another book... or at least not in the next few months, unless something I really want comes out.
And movies I need want to see.
This one is more as a way to remember movies I like the look of. I need this as I'm one of those people who spots a movie and make a mental note to watch this when it come out on DVD really cheap.
Mental notes for me are just useless, I have an awful memory. Unless it's something not worth remember, then count on me for that one.
Plus whenever I go to blockbuster I can never remember any movies... ever! Poor memory... remember?!
Have you ever had that feeling when reading a book that you've missed something? I don't mean like half the book missing (which I have experienced) but that the plot isn't quite what you expected it to be.
Now I'm the type that loves a good read,
I love to get lost in a book,
I love to be entranced by the story so much so that I can't wait to find out what happens, but that I also want to treasure each moment and wish for the book to never end.
I love being excited for an author to release a new book and without out even reading the blurb, buy the book and bury myself within it's words.
I love buying a new book upon someone else's recommendation and being so grateful, having found a new love.
But what I don't like is the feeling of being lost, the feeling of something missing, the feeling that I've missed something that everyone else has got. Now some of you may be offended by what I write next and rightly so, for a book that has had such great reviews, become a best seller, and even been made into a movie, these word may come as a surprise. But I just didn't like Lovely Bones.
I didn't go into this book expecting much at all. I hadn't heard much about the books success, or about the movie. All I really knew was that there was a movie. I read the blurb on the back and though it was an interesting concept for a story, not something I would usually opt for, but as I had been looking into reading something other than an easy read, I though it was the perfect option. I bough this and 'The time traveler's wife' on a 2 for £7 offer in Sainsbury's. I love these offers, and I always take advantage of them. I'm not to sure whether this is a good thing? Out of the two I picked up Lovely Bones first as I had heard fantastic reviews about 'The Time Traveler's Wife' and knew I would find a new love within it's pages.
I read the book within a week, and yes the story has stuck with me. The story was good, and as a book to look back on and pull sections out to think about, it's great. But... and it's a big but.... to me the story was slow. It got off to a great start, and within the first few pages the scene had been set, you know that the main character had died an unfortunate death, you also know how she died, and by the hands of whom. All of this you also find out on the back of the book, so I'm not actually spoiling the story for anyone. From here on out I thought that I had hit gold, I thought that I would be recommending this book to everyone I met, but I thought too soon.
As I got half way through the book I got to the point where I was getting into a huff as the story didn't seem to be going anywhere, but I persisted as a great hit has to come from somewhere and if so many people recommend it then I just must be missing something. In the end I ended up completing the book that evening as I couldn't put it down as I needed to find out if anything happened. Now don't get me wrong a story was told, the characters faced a lot, and to some I'm talking complete bull... but to me this book felt like a chore. In fact I don't think that before now I have ever refereed to finishing a book as completing, like completing an assignment, but that's just how if felt. Overall I don't think it was my cup of tea.
I don't want to write too much relating to my reasonings behind my dislike, as like I've mentioned above I'm not completely sure why I dislike it so much, I just feel like I'm missing something major. I also don't want to put anyone off reading this book who may end up loving it, and if by writing my real thoughts it would mean that they would never read it, and consequently never find out how much they could love it, then that would be awful.
But for the few people out there that don't mind spoilers... (these people that I'm yet to meet) a few points in this book did confuse me.
The way in which Susie died was traumatic to say the least. She was raped and murdered by a neighbough. Now I'm not quite sure of her actual age at death (it may be stated in the book, but I guess I also missed that) but I saw her at roughly 13. In her idea of heaven or at least a stepping stone toward heaven, she never actually aged. She never actually grew up. To me to be able to grow up and to mature you need to experience life, have life experiences, something which she could not do, as her life had been cut short. She did on the other hand watch her family, friends, and significant friend grow, age, and mature. This to me only makes my imagination picture her as a watcher. So why when she gets the opportunity to switch places with Ruth does she end up sleeping with her crush? She was raped just before she died, didn't age but needed to have sex before she could move on. I just don't get it. I did watch the movie, on a recommendation, and the producer did seem to grasp this part slightly better, and instead of feeling the need for her to sleep with him, she needed to have her first kiss before she could move on. (I know I have not mentioned his actually name.. mainly because I've forgotten it.)
In relation to the recommendation for the film, I didn't rate that very highly at all. It was all too far fetched for me. The images created by the book, to me saw her heaven as pretty similar to earth, minus her family. I had created these pictures of this place where she easily adapted herself, she knew she was no longer alive, but at the same time it was real enough to create a smoother transition. A place where everything she wanted she could imagine and it would appear, not making her truly happy but not terrified constantly. The movie on the other hand created this strange place where she just seemed scared or confused most of the time. I was recommended the movie by someone who had not read the book, but who suggested it after I told them how the book didn't live up to my expectations. They thought the movie was fantastic... to me the book was better. If I hadn't read the book and felt the need to constantly compare the two I would have switched the movie off half way through. All least with the book you found out she had died pretty soon... with the movie 50 minutes had passed and finally I found out she had died.
I'm sorry for this lengthy post I just needed to get that off my chest.
My last personal post on this page was announcing my engagement. I can't believe that that was in August and now we're over half way through January.
What gets me more than that is that I'm getting married in FOUR MONTHS! Thats it! And the only things that we have planned is the venue, i.e Church (booked, almost paid for) and my parents house for the reception, and Mike's suit (picked and paid for.) I don't even have my dress yet!!!
Though driving passed a wedding dress shop last night that I pass almost every day, I noticed that they were having a ONE DAY SALE on Sunday, so I'm really looking forward to that. I really hoping that I find one I love, that doesn't cost the earth.
I am so excited to marry the man of my dreams, but the planning, or lack of planning is driving me mad. It's the day that most girls plan for their whole lives and in turn save for their whole lives. But that's not the case for me. Don't get me wrong I have always wanted to get married, and since meeting Mike that has been one of the main things on my mind, but we are the worst savers ever! So the only money we have to pay for our wedding is whatever is left from what we earn in the net few months. *nervous laugh*
Overall I know that our day will go well, I know this because at the end of our wedding day we will be married, and really that's all that matters. But I really think that I need to get started on some of the other parts.
I have the rings planned, I know what I want, what styles, what sizes, where I'm getting them from, everything, I just need to buy them. So in a way in my head that bit is done. Kind of.
The favours are all planned, strange but planned. All home made, just need to get about 30 large tea light holders for a reasonable price. So more hunting needed there. The other part of the favours just require me to get my butt in gear!
The save the dates are done, and a select few have been handed out, but the rest need to be printed out, which requires me to go and buy some more ink, seen as they are little ink munchers. I could have got them done professionally but I wanted Fridge Magnets, and couldn't find any online where I could guarantee that I knew how they would turn out. The colour scheme of these may need to be changed slightly so I can print more out for a lower cost. So another few hours on Photoshop will be needed.
The invitations still need to be done, I have no idea where to get inspiration for these from, and I'm not very creative when it comes to wedding invitations. Jesus it took me FOUR HOURS for the SAVE THE DATES.
Flowers, now thats another story, I just don't know where to start with that one. *slightly worried*
Hair - no clue
Make-up - still no clue
I've never been the type of girly girl that knows the best place to get hair and nails done.... oooh look there's another thing.
Nails??? Real, or fake???
Shoes, now I kinda have that one planed, I know that I want flat shoes. Some sort of cream/white (depending on the dress I choose) pumps. I can't walk in heals, definitely not on one of the most important days of my life, where falling over would be a disaster.
Decorations - I have some ideas, but not enough to be able to transform an average size UK house and garden into something spectacular!
Now photography thats a different story. I really can't afford the scary prices that photographers charge to take your photos. And then extra so you can have the rights to your own pictures. You'd think that because I'm obsessed with photography and taking pictures I'd know someone that would be able to at least take a good picture, that I could edit myself. But no, unfortunately I have a small family and we don't get on with my partners side. I'll end up with pictures of my wedding dress without my head.lol.
I've scoured the internet for ideas of wedding on a budget, and only found websites with a definition of budget wedding being £4000!
If any of my 7 followers (lol) could help with any ideas, I would be more grateful than you would believe.
This post started somewhere completely different from where it ended... strange, but I think half way through this I realised how little time I really had until my wedding day.
Thank you for reading this ramble.
I promise to be back soon.
Katie
x
These new pages are my books to read this year...