I'm reading the new Nora Roberts book, Angels Fall. It's really, really good. I'm trying to figure out who the murderer is and, while I have my suspects, she's not giving anything away in this one. So all in all I should be enjoying this book experience.
Except the book is completely riddled with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, and they're driving me crazy. It's really jarring to be ripped out of an atmospheric thriller because quotes are the wrong way round, the last letter of a given word has become the first letter of the next word, or, as in one memorable paragraph, words are missing completely. Sentences need conjunctions and prepositions people, it's not a voluntary thing.
If the story wasn't so good, and if it wasn't against my policy to dump books half way, it would be gathering dust somewhere. But I need to know who the murderer is.
PATTOTE: Better living through grammar nazis.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Blogging the Baby
Curtis-the-fetus arrived after concerted effort from his mother, who was pretty tired of being pregnant judging by the bored smses I've been receiving. I'm biased, but I think he's lovely.
Happy birthday Jamie Luke! I hope you grow up to like chickpeas, lentils, museums and Manchester United. And congratulations Juanita and Gareth. I'll stop calling your son Curtis now!
Happy birthday Jamie Luke! I hope you grow up to like chickpeas, lentils, museums and Manchester United. And congratulations Juanita and Gareth. I'll stop calling your son Curtis now!
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Why Dubbya should be gagged
Oh dear
So Bush makes an arse of himself again. Not only is his logic infallible - if Syria stops Hezbollah, then the fighting will end in Lebanon, nothing to do with Israel at all - he treats Blair like rubbish and talks over him. Chewing away, talking with food in his mouth, he insults Kofi Annan and almost makes it sound like Condi is on her way out (ousted or to Lebanon, who knows). This is a politician?
PATTOTE - Better living through a benevolent dictator who will keep the microphone off.
So Bush makes an arse of himself again. Not only is his logic infallible - if Syria stops Hezbollah, then the fighting will end in Lebanon, nothing to do with Israel at all - he treats Blair like rubbish and talks over him. Chewing away, talking with food in his mouth, he insults Kofi Annan and almost makes it sound like Condi is on her way out (ousted or to Lebanon, who knows). This is a politician?
PATTOTE - Better living through a benevolent dictator who will keep the microphone off.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Literary bums
The Father sent me this email yesterday (punctuation his):
"Hi. I must tell you this quickly. About 07:30 this morning, one of the lesser-known-rough-sleepers came to Willow House asking if there was any chance of a cup of coffee. I said to him, that if he waited until 08:00 he could have breakfast. He then asked where I was from and I said: "South Africa". He went to his bag and took out a well-read, well-worn copy of Andre P Brink`s book [A Dry White Season]! Have a nice day. Love. Dad."
How cool is that?
PATTOTE - Better living through lesser-known-rough-sleepers with an eye for good reading.
"Hi. I must tell you this quickly. About 07:30 this morning, one of the lesser-known-rough-sleepers came to Willow House asking if there was any chance of a cup of coffee. I said to him, that if he waited until 08:00 he could have breakfast. He then asked where I was from and I said: "South Africa". He went to his bag and took out a well-read, well-worn copy of Andre P Brink`s book [A Dry White Season]! Have a nice day. Love. Dad."
How cool is that?
PATTOTE - Better living through lesser-known-rough-sleepers with an eye for good reading.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Wha?! update
The Fuhrer suggested that the keyword search may have something to do with the song that plays when Shaun Pollock comes out to bowl or bat. For the person searching, the song is Nkalakatha by Mandoza. Just so you know.
Wha?!
Somebody recently found my blog searching on google's Australian site with the keywords "Shaun Pollock favourite song". Now, I'm a fan but his favourite song? Who in the what now?!
Zorro
I've just finished Zorro, by Isabel Allende. I enjoyed it immensely, as I have all her other books. Not only am I a fan of Zorro himself, but her recreation of his character is pretty flawless. Foppish, hypochondriac dandy by day; masked defender with whip by night.
Zorro has an unswerving sense of social justice and a sarcastic tongue, a lethal combination. Allende sets the scene, with the colonialisation of Mexico by Spain, the subsequent mistreatment of the the existing population, and the proselytising missionaries. Zorro himself is a mestizo, a half-bood, and it allows him to exist in both worlds. Each world gives him the knowledge he needs, but both worlds also need him.
I found Allende's matter of fact comments through the stories very amusing; her dry humour and practical opinions in the face of Zorro's flair for the dramatic brings the reader neatly down to earth.
There are two things I noticed about the novel. The first, that the story has a far more "western" flavour than, for instance, Portrait in Sepia and House of the Spirits. Of course, the story is following the character's life through North America and Spain so I guess it makes sense. It made her references to mysticism and magic more obvious. There was less innate acceptance and subtlety about different beliefs and more, "You are an outsider, so how could you ever really understand Zorro?"
The other thing is a minor quibble: after three quarters of a book dealing wih Diego's life, the climax was not particularly...climactic. Kind of a let down really.
Anyway, cool book. Read it.
Zorro has an unswerving sense of social justice and a sarcastic tongue, a lethal combination. Allende sets the scene, with the colonialisation of Mexico by Spain, the subsequent mistreatment of the the existing population, and the proselytising missionaries. Zorro himself is a mestizo, a half-bood, and it allows him to exist in both worlds. Each world gives him the knowledge he needs, but both worlds also need him.
I found Allende's matter of fact comments through the stories very amusing; her dry humour and practical opinions in the face of Zorro's flair for the dramatic brings the reader neatly down to earth.
There are two things I noticed about the novel. The first, that the story has a far more "western" flavour than, for instance, Portrait in Sepia and House of the Spirits. Of course, the story is following the character's life through North America and Spain so I guess it makes sense. It made her references to mysticism and magic more obvious. There was less innate acceptance and subtlety about different beliefs and more, "You are an outsider, so how could you ever really understand Zorro?"
The other thing is a minor quibble: after three quarters of a book dealing wih Diego's life, the climax was not particularly...climactic. Kind of a let down really.
Anyway, cool book. Read it.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Licenced to uh...kill?
The Sister and Curtis-the-Fetus have passed their driver's licence. I say they have passed because The Sister said that the kid was whirling around the entire time. Probably in a flat spin (hah! pun!).
Here's hoping she doesn't perpetuate the family tradition of crashing into stationary beetles...
Well done Ms Ellis! I'm very proud.
Here's hoping she doesn't perpetuate the family tradition of crashing into stationary beetles...
Well done Ms Ellis! I'm very proud.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
The epitome of coolness...
...in my super-duper red hard hat.
And please - no comments about the size of this picture, I'm done battling with them.
And please - no comments about the size of this picture, I'm done battling with them.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
High flying canine
It was with some trepidation and a few sniffles that I sent my beloved dog overseas today. She was fine, I was the mess. Her biggest concern was the fact that I packed up all her precious toys. While I was trying to hug her goodbye and, you know, bond, she was more interested in trying to get at the Pick 'n Pay packet carrying the precioussssesss. I will always have a vision of me sitting on the couch trying to tell her how I love her and how I'll miss her and her standing on the couch, front paws balanced on the back, trying to reach the table with her teeth, thinking: "Yes, yes, whatever. Now shut up and use those opposable thumbs."
The guy who came to pick her up was so kind, like he's used to overwrought owners plotting out worst case scenarios (I don' t accept his assertion, however, that doggy parachutes are illogical and expensive). The parting was short and sweet. She climbed into her crate with nary a whimper and just looked at me with her big trusting labrador eyes (drugged probably, rescue remedy will do that).
And then she was gone, her toys taped to the top of her crate, along with a sticker saying "One live labrador dog" - thank you SAA, I would like her to arrive like that.
PATTOTE - better living through little black dogs with very little brain.
The guy who came to pick her up was so kind, like he's used to overwrought owners plotting out worst case scenarios (I don' t accept his assertion, however, that doggy parachutes are illogical and expensive). The parting was short and sweet. She climbed into her crate with nary a whimper and just looked at me with her big trusting labrador eyes (drugged probably, rescue remedy will do that).
And then she was gone, her toys taped to the top of her crate, along with a sticker saying "One live labrador dog" - thank you SAA, I would like her to arrive like that.
PATTOTE - better living through little black dogs with very little brain.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
The murky world of fanfiction
Ok, so I read fanfiction. Occasionally I might add, before Leigh starts in on her "you read Star Trek porn" spiel. The ghastly truth is that yes, I got into it through Star Trek. And can I just tell you that the world of fanfic is peopled with terrifying writers with varying degrees of talent. From the sad no-hopers who's prose clunks down upon us to the the fangirl squee-ers with their millions of !!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111!!!!!!!!!!!!! and ship names, you do sometimes get really brilliant fics, great stories in their own right, albeit based on someone else's imagination.
My forays to The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet in my endless quest for Harry Potter news also led me to this topic on The Werewolf Registry, which is a terrifying world all of its own. My favourite has to be the rip off of Japanese graphic novels. So awesome.
The net really is a wonderful scary place.
PATTOTE: Better living through clicking dodgy links.
My forays to The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet in my endless quest for Harry Potter news also led me to this topic on The Werewolf Registry, which is a terrifying world all of its own. My favourite has to be the rip off of Japanese graphic novels. So awesome.
The net really is a wonderful scary place.
PATTOTE: Better living through clicking dodgy links.
Urban Legends
One of my blogline feeds is from an urban legends site which I find very entertaining. They covered two points that I found interesting.
1) The eagle's head on the US seal turns to the left in peacetime and the right in wartime.
Apparently this rumour really spread when Dan Brown wrote about it in Deception Point. According to snopes.com the eagle's head has changed direction in the past, from looking right (at the arrows it holds in its claw) to looking left (at the olive branch in its other claw). Or should that be talon? Anyway, the change everybody remembers was made by Truman after the Second World War. Documents predating that have the eagle staring right, but Truman decided that it fit the US post-war working for peace image to have it looking at the olive branch. The general populace (when they noticed) assumed it was a tradition, but it was a whim.
Speaking of US presidential whims, apparently the US missed the boat on going metric because Reagan couldn't understand how it worked...
2) There is a nine-letter English word that remains a word even as you remove succesive letters. Curious? It's startling. No, that's the word, startling.
Remove the l: starting
Remove the t: staring
Remove the a: string
Remove the r: sting
Remove the t: sing
Remove the g: sin
Remove the s: in
Remove the n: I
Heh!
PATTOTE: Better living through mindless trivia
1) The eagle's head on the US seal turns to the left in peacetime and the right in wartime.
Apparently this rumour really spread when Dan Brown wrote about it in Deception Point. According to snopes.com the eagle's head has changed direction in the past, from looking right (at the arrows it holds in its claw) to looking left (at the olive branch in its other claw). Or should that be talon? Anyway, the change everybody remembers was made by Truman after the Second World War. Documents predating that have the eagle staring right, but Truman decided that it fit the US post-war working for peace image to have it looking at the olive branch. The general populace (when they noticed) assumed it was a tradition, but it was a whim.
Speaking of US presidential whims, apparently the US missed the boat on going metric because Reagan couldn't understand how it worked...
2) There is a nine-letter English word that remains a word even as you remove succesive letters. Curious? It's startling. No, that's the word, startling.
Remove the l: starting
Remove the t: staring
Remove the a: string
Remove the r: sting
Remove the t: sing
Remove the g: sin
Remove the s: in
Remove the n: I
Heh!
PATTOTE: Better living through mindless trivia
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Dinner for four
I hosted my first dinner party thingy last night. I've never hosted a dinner like that and it was pretty cool. I made my typical dinner, pasta with sauce. Of course, I also only followed the recipe partly before getting distracted and chucking every herb I could think of into the sauce. It came out all right, and after a couple of bottles of wine it ceased to matter anyway.
PATTOTE - Better living through dinner time indoctrination
PATTOTE - Better living through dinner time indoctrination
Monday, June 19, 2006
The One with all the Friends episodes.
Friends is one of those all or nothing affairs. You can't just watch one episode at a time, you have to get a stack of videos or dvds and watch them all together. It's the perfect way to veg out because those jokes never get tired, and neither do the plot lines. Except maybe the whole Ross and Rachel thing which got old about half way through the first season, although it had its moments (Phoebe: "See? He's her lobster.") Best thing about Friends - Chandler and Monica getting together. That ruled.
There are a lot of people who didn't like Friends because the humour was "forced". I loved it because it was sarcastic and occasionally mean. And because I would love to be able to just throw one-liners around like that. Then I remind myself that it was a tv programme and no-one talks like that. And that nobody talks like they do in Gilmore Girls either. Then I have to remind myself that I know that it's a tv programme and practising one-liners in the mirror in case I ever have need of them is totally unrelated. And then I have to go lie down because personality disorders are tiring.
Anyway! My favourite episodes of Friends are:
The One with the Football - (Chandler: "Mini wave in celebration of me!" /does ridiculous dance)
The One with Chandler in a Box - (Rachel: "It's like inviting a Greek tragedy over for dinner.")
The One with Phoebe's Uterus - (Monica: "Seven, seven, seven!")
The One with the Embryos - (There are so many great lines in this episode, and I love when Chandler and Joey ride into the girls' apartment astride that fugly dog.)
The One with all the Thanksgivings - (The turkey and Joey's head. Heh.)
The One that Could Have Been - (FatMonica is so brilliant.)
The One where Chandler takes a bath - (It's a boy bath!)
The early episodes look so bad now though. That's what you get for dressing Rachel up in "fashionable" clothes...
PATTOTE - Better living through snarky one-liners.
There are a lot of people who didn't like Friends because the humour was "forced". I loved it because it was sarcastic and occasionally mean. And because I would love to be able to just throw one-liners around like that. Then I remind myself that it was a tv programme and no-one talks like that. And that nobody talks like they do in Gilmore Girls either. Then I have to remind myself that I know that it's a tv programme and practising one-liners in the mirror in case I ever have need of them is totally unrelated. And then I have to go lie down because personality disorders are tiring.
Anyway! My favourite episodes of Friends are:
The One with the Football - (Chandler: "Mini wave in celebration of me!" /does ridiculous dance)
The One with Chandler in a Box - (Rachel: "It's like inviting a Greek tragedy over for dinner.")
The One with Phoebe's Uterus - (Monica: "Seven, seven, seven!")
The One with the Embryos - (There are so many great lines in this episode, and I love when Chandler and Joey ride into the girls' apartment astride that fugly dog.)
The One with all the Thanksgivings - (The turkey and Joey's head. Heh.)
The One that Could Have Been - (FatMonica is so brilliant.)
The One where Chandler takes a bath - (It's a boy bath!)
The early episodes look so bad now though. That's what you get for dressing Rachel up in "fashionable" clothes...
PATTOTE - Better living through snarky one-liners.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
How to while away a long weekend.
I fully intend to do as little as possible this weekend. I'm going to start the festivities by eating calamari and chips tonight and watching old episodes of Friends. Tomorrow I'm sleeping late and reading. On Saturday I'm going to the book fair (free entry!). Sunday is the distant future and I haven't planned anything yet. I'm going to get as much mileage out of the public holiday as possible. I hate public holidays generally; they stuff up deadlines and make it that much harder to get the newspaper out on time.
It has been mentioned that I don't update frequentlty enough. I promise to try and add as many rambling passages as possible, starting Monday. Belowe, belowe.
PATTOTE - Better living when I'm in control cause then there will never be public holidays ever again after.
It has been mentioned that I don't update frequentlty enough. I promise to try and add as many rambling passages as possible, starting Monday. Belowe, belowe.
PATTOTE - Better living when I'm in control cause then there will never be public holidays ever again after.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Scary dreams
I dreamt that Cape Town was flattened by a chemical explosion. I only dreamt it once so I'm assuming that I haven't supernaturally caused the apocalypse.
Pattote: Better living through preserving the planet and ensuring my infinite existence.
Pattote: Better living through preserving the planet and ensuring my infinite existence.
Monday, June 12, 2006
I hate these things but...
I got this meme from Marissa, the queen of these things. She knows I hate them and yet also knows that somehow I'm genetically programmed to answer them.
1. Three best movies you've watched recently.
Shopgirl (I now really want to read the book)
Memoirs of a Geisha (I really liked the book)
The Anne of Green Gables collection (I still read these books)
2. Three favourite songs at the moment.
Rascal Flatts - Broken Road
Olivia Newton John - Cry me a river (don't even ask)
P.O.D - Let you down
3. Favourite dessert.
Apple crumble
4.(a) Two physical characteristics you like about yourself.
My eyes and my freckles
4.(b) Two physical characteristics you like in a significant other.
Collar bones and eyes
5. The most unforgiveable thing anyone could do is:
Humiliate me in front of others.
6. If your were to dress someone up as yourself they would be wearing...
My pyjamas (the blue ones) with a Western Province cricket tshirt.
7. Three favourite magazines:
Cosmo, Time and... I actually don't read any other magazines. I really like Men's Helath when I get hold of it.
8. A new favourite bad habit:
Resetting the alarm clock until I only have an hour to get ready and get to work, at which point I convince myself that I have to take the car.
9. Dream house:
Stone cottage set among trees with a stream nearby.
10. Which five people would you have with you on a desert island and why?
Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Shaun Pollock, Mark Bouche and Daniel Vettori. Calypso cricket season mon!
1. Three best movies you've watched recently.
Shopgirl (I now really want to read the book)
Memoirs of a Geisha (I really liked the book)
The Anne of Green Gables collection (I still read these books)
2. Three favourite songs at the moment.
Rascal Flatts - Broken Road
Olivia Newton John - Cry me a river (don't even ask)
P.O.D - Let you down
3. Favourite dessert.
Apple crumble
4.(a) Two physical characteristics you like about yourself.
My eyes and my freckles
4.(b) Two physical characteristics you like in a significant other.
Collar bones and eyes
5. The most unforgiveable thing anyone could do is:
Humiliate me in front of others.
6. If your were to dress someone up as yourself they would be wearing...
My pyjamas (the blue ones) with a Western Province cricket tshirt.
7. Three favourite magazines:
Cosmo, Time and... I actually don't read any other magazines. I really like Men's Helath when I get hold of it.
8. A new favourite bad habit:
Resetting the alarm clock until I only have an hour to get ready and get to work, at which point I convince myself that I have to take the car.
9. Dream house:
Stone cottage set among trees with a stream nearby.
10. Which five people would you have with you on a desert island and why?
Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Shaun Pollock, Mark Bouche and Daniel Vettori. Calypso cricket season mon!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Sappy sounds
God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
PATTOTE - Better living through- damn, I have dust in my eye.
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
PATTOTE - Better living through- damn, I have dust in my eye.
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