Johnny Simmons

I’m reading “Jane Eyre” at the moment and it’s annoying me a little. I read it at a very young age, but that was one of those ludicrously abridged Illustrated Classics, reading it for an English Lit class is way more taxing – that book is long. I’m not a huge fan of the Bronte’s – save for “Wuthering Heights” which I sort of worship, sort of. We just wrapped up “Pride & Prejudice” and the parallels between Austen’s narrative and Charlotte are a bit striking if you look at it in the right perspective, and then I came across this article which amused me. It seems many are not fond of Austen, Bronte included. I’m a Jane Austen apologist, but in her defence – no one can take such simple plots and turn them into brilliant ruminations like she. “Jane Eyre”? Not so much.  After the atrocity of “Robinson Crusoe” – I refuse to retract that statement, I loathed the book - Henry Fielding and Jane Austen were welcome distractions, but now we're on to Bronte and Charlotte and her fancifulness aren’t making me very pleased. Ah, school is bland – and then we’re doing “Paradise Lost” for Poetry – ugh, not a fan of Milton....

           

Speaking of aged 18th century lit, though, I had the weirdest experience last week. I went into a library, told the Librarian that I was looking for Caribbean plays. She’s there looking and turns to me, “Oliver Twist isn’t Caribbean, is it?” W! T! F!??????????????? It’s not Caribbean, it’s not even a freakin’ play! And from a librarian? And people wonder why I have no faith in humanity. Sigh.

            

What have you been reading lately? I hope it’s for pleasure, and not for school. Scholastic reading always ends up becoming tedious...

I've done it. Yet again, I've descended into that realm where I'm turning into a pseudo-blogger, akin with the mystic-blogger, the ghost blogger and the lazy blogger. Guilty, guilty, guilty and guilty. It's not that I don't have articles to publish (I do, I need to edit them first). It's not that I haven't seen any new movies (I have), and it's not that I don't want to blog (I do) but I'm been insanely busy and I guess that's a legitimate excuse - but I hate to think that because the blog isn't my work I shouldn't be dedicated to it. Speaking of which, I've got a job! I'm working as the editorial intern at De Pulse Magazine which is a Guyanese Magazine that you may probably never read, but still. It's writing, and that means that it should end up helping my blogging skills. It's vaguely weird since my ex-brother-in-law is my boss, but it's all good - he is a good writer.

               

Sigh, that still doesn't count as real blogging. And I'm feeling really guilty. Ugh, tell me what you want me to blog about....(hopefully, I'll get the time).

             

After the last streak of memes I figured that we’d all been “memed” out. Obviously, not.

I’ve been lucky enough (all things being relative) to be singled out by two bloggers for my versatility. In all my 18 months of blogging I’ve never used the word. I’m not quite sure what they mean when they tell I’m versatile, but I’ll surmise it has something to do with my mind hopping to and fro without order. Apparently they do give out an award for general craziness and hysteria. Joy.

                   

Anna is a young up-and-coming blogger with a thirst for knowledge. She also happens to be one of the most prolific tweeters (twitterer?) I know and Darren of the M0vie Blog doesn’t grade his reviews, which means you’re forced to read his reviews. Luckily, they’re quite lucid and well written so it’s a win-win situation. Both of them are worth having on your blog roll.

                 

I’m obliged to nominate fifteen blogs, I can’t say if they all will reciprocate with the meme rules, but here goes. I can't count pass ten…hopefully they haven’t been struck with the disease er, tagged yet. They all are versatile.

           

Luke of Journalistic Skepticism: because he covers everything from the big screen to the small screen to list making, and more list making and Meryl loving and…well, you get it.

Jude of And All that Film: he’s young but he’s enthused about the whole blogging thing (bless him) notes on theatre, notes on film and notes on TV

            

Ryan T. of Sorta that Guy: he loves Federer to a fault and all things Josh Whedon (especially a certain wicca named Willow)

Crazy Cris of Here and There and Everywhere: a bit obsessed with the tube, and football and European things especially Spanish (particularly Nadal)

Rachel of Rachel’s Reel Reviews: recently began a podcast with Jess and is always skipping back and forth between film and TV with a very cool rating system.

              

Jess of Insight into Entertainment: A West Wing aficionado and a Friends lover that I'm now getting to know

       

Yojimbo of Let’s Not Talk About Movies: smart but personable, well written but simple to understand. If that’s not versatility…

                

Walter of The Silver Screening Room: a big fan of Drew Barymore, ALW and Glenn Close (but I don’t know in what order). Goes to film school and will blog about anything…or else…

            

Tom S. of Reinvention, the Journal of a Dog Lover...: Thoughtful essays on film and on platitudes of life (that end up seeming inventive). 

              

And now on to some random intimation that makes me lose a little bit of my privacy, in keeping with the theme it shall all be very versatile.

                 

1: I consider William Wordsworth to be the greatest poet of all time. I suppose today his “traditional” romanticism does not seem as innovative as some of the more contemporary rule-breakers, but I have special place in my heart for him. He can be light (and lithe) and carefree and then move to moving and poignant in one line.

    

2: On the note of artists, I’d probably say Stephen Sondheim is the greatest musician (at least of the last century). I’m never sure if I prefer his words or his music but they’re all so excellent together or alone. He’s worked with so many of the greats and has become a great himself – deservedly so.

          

3: One of my nicknames in high school was “The Human Dictionary”. I probably don’t need to deign to explain, Univarn recently told me I’m notorious for my big words which are never deliberate. I know they say people who use big words have some complex, but I just like the variety of the English Language.

            

4: I generally alternate between moments of excessive obsessive compulsion and moments of not caring at all. One thing I’m particularly neurotic about is school, which I hate but I still obsess over it. I’m an anomaly of a student, I don’t study regularly, I skip classes but I still end up doing quite well. I’m sensing my bad deeds will catch up with me sometime.

                

5: I’m infamous for hating (my) birthdays. I can’t remember when it started, but I was ill-fated enough to watch The Hours on one of them and ever since then Laura Brown just haunts my days (…and what’s to celebrate about the aging process, anyway?).

                   

6: I may have said this before, but post-Shakespeare I’d say Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams are possibly my favourite playwrights of all time. I know Eugene O’Neill is often identified with them, but I generally loathe the man. I just find him to be a chore (“Strange Interlude? Ick.)

              

7: I said this on Heather’s blog recently; I’ve never seen a movie with my father. It’s weird, and embarrassing. We don’t live together, but we’re not estranged. I shall be rectifying that in due time. Incidentally, I’m always forcing my mother and sisters (and my nephew) to watch movies. My mother loved Places in the Heart, one of my sisters still thinks Streisand’s “So Long Dearie” in Hello, Dolly! is one of the greatest bits of comedic timing and the other one believes that Dangerous Liaisons has some of the greatest lines of the cinema.

             

There, take that for your inquisitiveness. 

ADDENDUM: Silly me, I didn't realise that the lovely Heather of Movie Mobsters tagged me too. I've been commenting on Heather's site very crazily this month, it started off as a shameless attempt to win the $10 I-tunes giftcard and then I realised that hers was actually an excellent blog (I'm glad I got around to following her and her Mobster Family).

..the burnout. Not literally though, but I'm swamped at the moment, and added to some issues with my internet connection I'm set to be MIA from blog-ophere for the next few days. Apologies. I'll try my utmost to get an episode of Scene On A Sunday, though it probably won't be that analytical. So yeah, I'll be back by Tuesday so keep writing I'll read all those wonderful posts next week...sigh. A tout a l'heure.

 No, my life's not this dire...

Not really, but still. I couldn't lable it fire or murder, and breaking news is the third phrase that people pay attention to. Right? To all my readers out there, business may be a little slow this week. I'm starting out at University this week so it's probably going to get a little hectic. I'm not giving up the blog though [god forbid]...but it will be in a quasi-hibernation for the next few days, maybe.

Anyhow, have you been voting in those Katharine Hepburn Awards? Have you been spreading the word? Tsk, tsk. And once again, calling out if you have a piece to contribute you'd like to contribute email me. Obviously the results are being pushed back probably to mid October.

                             

I have some interesting articles for the next time...my 25 favourite Best Actress nominees, a review of What's Love Got to Do With It, three more entries in my favourite films and my favourite Best Actor winners...but all in good time. In the meantime check out the blogs on my sidebar, and keep writing so when I'm back I'll have lots to comment on.

Alex has finished yet another year of Best Actress reviews. Check out the results.

James D. offers up some thoughts on The Informant!

Danny seems to be very positive about Whip It

Rae doesn't like Bright Star. I refuse to believe it's not good...but it's here for good measure

Ryan takes a look at G.I. Joe. He rates it too high.

Twister ranks some Supporting Actresses. Some interesting choices...

              

There's more...but I can't give you everything!

                     

The freakiest shit happened to me today. For no apparent reason – I mean, untouched without preamble with any goading the monitor of my computer did a back flip. Yes, my monitor one of the normal-not-a-flat-screen-huge-monitor literally, and I say literally merely for dramatic effect, fell off from its stand and toppled over backwards. To the floor. And by the way it’s still working. Yes, a three-and-a-half foot fall and it’s intact. I don’t if I should be freaked out or not. If I had seen this on TV I’d have probably expected it to come out looking like this. Or at least not working. But let me tell you when it fell [yes I saw this traumatic event] I was thinking I am so going to need some money right now. I can't live without this thing.

                    

This reminds me of when I was five and fell from a two story building onto some asphalt and only ended up needing one stitch. Weird? I know. Is God trying to send me a message? Is he trying to tell me, "Andrew, enough with the computer. Get a life!" Is this way of telling me that I have a problem. Do I need to confront this? Is there a Bloggers Anonymous, or Internet Addicts Symposium I should attend? Should I? Anybody?

                   

I didn't think so.