Blogger has been annoying me lately because I haven't been able to post. I still can't italicise or copy and paste into or out of the 'compose' window it seems.
I've published a few posts that were in my drafts box. Since writing them, I still haven't finished 'The Book of Rachael'. I am tearing my way through 'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ' by Phillip Pullman and it's interesting to be reading the two at the same time.
So is it bad form to be scathing about a book in public like this? Is it okay to do it if the author is international and therefore distance makes you feel buffered? Is it unprofessional to bad mouth a book if the author is in Melbourne? I'm not a professional anyway but do I need to be careful about opinion? Because that's all it is. Reviewers are brutal often, so I can be, can't I?
What do you think? Is it a case of 'if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all?' Then you have no texture...
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Hello one and all
This is seriously about the third time I have tried to post. It just wasn't freaking working. And now it is again. So. A quick update.
Yes I have changed my profile pic. And my 'handle' back to MG.
This is because:
a. it was time for a change
b. mean people on facebook might find me and be mean.
I know this sounds ridiculous and it is but hey. I've got to move with the times.
So what'cha reading? I'm battling through The Book of Rachael by Leslie Cannold and my feeling is that a brilliant idea has been wasted. It's a good effort though I suppose.
Last night I went to see Gail Dines talk at Melbourne Uni.
Gail Dines is the anti-porn crusader who needs a spandex suit of her own such is her fight against the pornification of society. She has written a book called 'Pornland' and in it she dissects the industry and the damage. And when she talks about porn she's not talking about what is now seen as 'porn lite' (ie simple images of people having sex, what people over 30 think of as porn, you know, pool cleaner-moustache-'70s bush) she is talking about 'body punishing' extreme stuff, like multiple penetrations, double anal, fellatio so rigorous to make the woman gag and even vomit (there are fetish sites catering to this shit) and worse. It's all there with a click of a button and kids are curious and they are looking at it. At work, we heard the story of a boy, 15 or 16, had his first sexual experience and thought he had to do anal, oral and vaginal sex all on the first time. There are kids out there watching this stuff before they have even kissed someone else.
Is this wowserism? She doesn't talk about censorship or banning. She talks about exposing the machine, the capitalist machine, that is behind porn and the pornification of society. She talks about education and exposing this stuff for the skewed respresentation of sex that it is.
So much good stuff last night, so much interesting stuff in the book. Not for the fainthearted but if you have kids, this is something you will need to talk to them about. She told her teenage son 'if you are going to look at porn, you need to know you will be handing over the development of your sexuality to this industry. Scary stuff.
Wow this was going to be a light catch up. To bed now.
Stay warm.
Yes I have changed my profile pic. And my 'handle' back to MG.
This is because:
a. it was time for a change
b. mean people on facebook might find me and be mean.
I know this sounds ridiculous and it is but hey. I've got to move with the times.
So what'cha reading? I'm battling through The Book of Rachael by Leslie Cannold and my feeling is that a brilliant idea has been wasted. It's a good effort though I suppose.
Last night I went to see Gail Dines talk at Melbourne Uni.
Gail Dines is the anti-porn crusader who needs a spandex suit of her own such is her fight against the pornification of society. She has written a book called 'Pornland' and in it she dissects the industry and the damage. And when she talks about porn she's not talking about what is now seen as 'porn lite' (ie simple images of people having sex, what people over 30 think of as porn, you know, pool cleaner-moustache-'70s bush) she is talking about 'body punishing' extreme stuff, like multiple penetrations, double anal, fellatio so rigorous to make the woman gag and even vomit (there are fetish sites catering to this shit) and worse. It's all there with a click of a button and kids are curious and they are looking at it. At work, we heard the story of a boy, 15 or 16, had his first sexual experience and thought he had to do anal, oral and vaginal sex all on the first time. There are kids out there watching this stuff before they have even kissed someone else.
Is this wowserism? She doesn't talk about censorship or banning. She talks about exposing the machine, the capitalist machine, that is behind porn and the pornification of society. She talks about education and exposing this stuff for the skewed respresentation of sex that it is.
So much good stuff last night, so much interesting stuff in the book. Not for the fainthearted but if you have kids, this is something you will need to talk to them about. She told her teenage son 'if you are going to look at porn, you need to know you will be handing over the development of your sexuality to this industry. Scary stuff.
Wow this was going to be a light catch up. To bed now.
Stay warm.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday update
Hello all
Had a computer crisis last night seemed like it was dead but luckily, and thanks to Clokey, it resurrected. I had backed up all important stuff, so would have survived if it didn't rise like the Phoenix today. But it has. So that has to be good. You'll also notice I've changed my profile pic and name (back to MG.) This is just because I was a little nervous about trolls finding my peaceful little plot here. Also I'm considering making an effort to be a little more writerly here. I've done the social commentary in the past, and the news articles and politics, world events etc. but at the moment I am not interested in any (or many) of those things and it's All Things Writing.
When I started this blog back in, when was it, 2005?? Egads. It was a general, broad survey of all that interested me. This has narrowed down to a virtual pinpoint. I'm not interested any more, or at the moment, in many things. So I am going to indulge myself, and hopefully not lose any of the people who are kind enough to swing by, and follow my heart. Which is books, more books. Literary analysis and critique. Book reviews. Stuff about writers. Stuff about me and my process.
I intend to build another blogroll; I haven't had one for years. Not quite sure why I got rid of it, I think it was because seeing it made me think I had to do the rounds, and visit them all and read. It was far too time consuming. What I would like to do now, though, is make a roll of blogs and spots which fit into my new parameters. Slowly, slowly.
I'll keep up with the diaries though, as planned to 31/12/89. There's a lot to come.
Today, I'm going to see Water for Elephants with Princess, or she's coming with me. She wasn't that keen (she wants to see the new one with Gynnifer Goodwin (sp?) and Kate Hudson but I told her I need to see the elephant one, for research purposes. I had read one good review, then one bad one, then someone told me Margaret P said it was good, captivating from first minute to last and Miss Reece's best role? So, that's enough for me. It has a circus in it. Also enough for me.
Speaking of circuses (circii?) there is a new book out by Mark St Leon, on the history of Australian circuses. Don't have the title to hand, but I clipped the article in the paper last weekend. Suffice to say, I will be buying it this week.
Mum still hasn't bought a place yet, but there is one that we LOVE and I hope she gets it. She has to move out of her place in a couple of weeks, and go and stay with my sis. We shall survive the pain. If anyone had told us ten years ago that in 2011 our mum would be selling her flat, boxing up all her stuff, putting it in storage and buying a new place, we would have been seriously doubtful. If anyone had told us that in the last ten years she would have had THREE overseas trips (plus another to come this year, family holiday to Bali yayyyyyy) then we would have said 'tell them they're dreamin'.'
But if anyone had told us she would have a gentleman caller who would infuse her with energy and delight, we would have said 'you are seriously fucked, fuck off.'
Life is extraordinary and there to be embraced.
A dear friend of mine had a dreadful year last year, with cancer. She too has done amazing things since. She gave me a copy of the affirmations she is doing and which have helped not only her, but her brother and sister as well (they were having rough times, no luck etc.) I don't care what anyone says about this being woo-woo. The power of positive thinking cannot be underestimated.
I can't find the piece of paper though, so I can't transcribe them here. Will do when they come to hand again.
Happy Sunday to you.
Had a computer crisis last night seemed like it was dead but luckily, and thanks to Clokey, it resurrected. I had backed up all important stuff, so would have survived if it didn't rise like the Phoenix today. But it has. So that has to be good. You'll also notice I've changed my profile pic and name (back to MG.) This is just because I was a little nervous about trolls finding my peaceful little plot here. Also I'm considering making an effort to be a little more writerly here. I've done the social commentary in the past, and the news articles and politics, world events etc. but at the moment I am not interested in any (or many) of those things and it's All Things Writing.
When I started this blog back in, when was it, 2005?? Egads. It was a general, broad survey of all that interested me. This has narrowed down to a virtual pinpoint. I'm not interested any more, or at the moment, in many things. So I am going to indulge myself, and hopefully not lose any of the people who are kind enough to swing by, and follow my heart. Which is books, more books. Literary analysis and critique. Book reviews. Stuff about writers. Stuff about me and my process.
I intend to build another blogroll; I haven't had one for years. Not quite sure why I got rid of it, I think it was because seeing it made me think I had to do the rounds, and visit them all and read. It was far too time consuming. What I would like to do now, though, is make a roll of blogs and spots which fit into my new parameters. Slowly, slowly.
I'll keep up with the diaries though, as planned to 31/12/89. There's a lot to come.
Today, I'm going to see Water for Elephants with Princess, or she's coming with me. She wasn't that keen (she wants to see the new one with Gynnifer Goodwin (sp?) and Kate Hudson but I told her I need to see the elephant one, for research purposes. I had read one good review, then one bad one, then someone told me Margaret P said it was good, captivating from first minute to last and Miss Reece's best role? So, that's enough for me. It has a circus in it. Also enough for me.
Speaking of circuses (circii?) there is a new book out by Mark St Leon, on the history of Australian circuses. Don't have the title to hand, but I clipped the article in the paper last weekend. Suffice to say, I will be buying it this week.
Mum still hasn't bought a place yet, but there is one that we LOVE and I hope she gets it. She has to move out of her place in a couple of weeks, and go and stay with my sis. We shall survive the pain. If anyone had told us ten years ago that in 2011 our mum would be selling her flat, boxing up all her stuff, putting it in storage and buying a new place, we would have been seriously doubtful. If anyone had told us that in the last ten years she would have had THREE overseas trips (plus another to come this year, family holiday to Bali yayyyyyy) then we would have said 'tell them they're dreamin'.'
But if anyone had told us she would have a gentleman caller who would infuse her with energy and delight, we would have said 'you are seriously fucked, fuck off.'
Life is extraordinary and there to be embraced.
A dear friend of mine had a dreadful year last year, with cancer. She too has done amazing things since. She gave me a copy of the affirmations she is doing and which have helped not only her, but her brother and sister as well (they were having rough times, no luck etc.) I don't care what anyone says about this being woo-woo. The power of positive thinking cannot be underestimated.
I can't find the piece of paper though, so I can't transcribe them here. Will do when they come to hand again.
Happy Sunday to you.
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