Tuesday, March 15
at 1:07 p.m.
I started reading Virgina Woolf's To the lighthouse last night. I got about half way down the first page and almost started laughing aloud as I read this:
What's so funny, you ask? Well, that is perhaps the longest sentence I've ever read in a book. Look at it again if you didn't notice - it's all one sentence. And the next sentence was even longer.
When I was reading Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves, I remember that there was a passing reference to Virginia Woolf in the chapter on the comma. I guess it didn't register until now exactly how fond Mrs. Woolf was of said punctuation mark. I don't think I've ever encountered writing like hers before, and truth be told, it's actually somewhat of a challenge to read; as if you don't have enough time to (mentally) catch your breath as you work your way through the sentence. Her particular style, called "stream of consciousness", only works to further add to the difficulty of the text. Stream of consciousness - supposedly - allows for the expression, not only of a character's emotions, but also of his or her psychological motives and is characterised by a broken narrative and chronology. But it's also something new and interesting. So, we press on.
Anyone want to read To the lighthouse? Or perhaps Eats, Shoots and Leaves? Please feel free to browse my bookshelf, and ask for any book you might wish to peruse. I'm in the process of adding all my books, so the list will grow as time allows. Also, the covers are about 90% accurate since a few of the titles are of different edition than those listed.
In other news, John Stamos - Uncle Joey of "Full House" fame - has a new show called "Jake in Progress". It's not all that bad. Script-wise, I'm reminded of "Arrested Development". It also follows AD in that it lacks a laugh track/live audience. Which is a good thing in, my opinion. They've also come up with something new for the camera work and editing. Well, for current sitcoms, anyway. I guess it's a combination of "24" and "Down With Love". Very interesting. Unfortunately, I've found that shows that I find interesting have a habit of getting cancelled. I really liked Stamos' last effort, "Theives", but that too - though critically acclaimed - was cancelled. I hope this one fairs better.
You know, all this time I've been trying to figure out how you're supposed to denote the title of a television show or film. I've used quotation marks for both, but I have a sneaking suspicion that at least one - films, I think - should be underlined. Oh well... I'll leave that mystery to be solved on another post.
Speaking of the media, I've been equal parts impressed and disgusted with the advertising the TTC is running nowadays. I don't know if any of you who read this will remember, but during our group thing last, last Christmas, we passed through St. George station. At the time they were running a series of adverts for the lottery. Something to do with an Oriental Express theme, I think.
What was particularly interesting about that campaign was that they decided to use not just the the billboards on the walls, but the very walls and pillars themselves. The effect was very impressive, though a bit inundating on the visual side. A series if iPod ads followed using similar methods. But they took it up a notch and even used the stairs to sell us their wares that time. Currently, there's a campaign for Virgin Wireless that's been doing similar things, but even went as far as to first bait commuters with mysterious references to "The Catch". But, all in all, these have been very enjoyable.
On the other hand, I've also seen some disturbing trends, though they're mostly on the in-car posters. Some of the most recent ones are for a weight loss campaign featuring someone named 'Julie'. Leaving aside the rather unhealthy message they're selling, albeit softly - namely that you have to be a certain weight to be attractive and/or sexy - they've also been using some less than appropriate images and text to get their point across. Case in point: a waist to thigh shot of a woman in lingerie with the caption, "I am Julie. Last night, I did a strip tease for my husband."
While most of us, by this time, have been (perhaps unfortunately) desensitised to the point of not being bothered by such things, there are still children who ride the subway. Children, of whom there are especially many this week and who, I would hope, still have some innocence left to them. But considering the way things are going, not for too much longer I fear.
A Little Ware
Emm Gryner
From the album, Dead Relatives
I've laid my gun to rest
Below my feet
I've forgotten how to fire
Can you hear me?
I've dulled down my tongue
Visitied the other side
I'm waving white, mad and sorry
But you don't hear me
All I've given has changed along the way
All I've told you, you think I never meant to say
Any love remaining, I can't share anymore
By the time it gets to you, it's a little war
I hear the calm outside,
Knowing we'll never touch, I've laid it down
You should try to wear my love, I have
I'll always have (dark and heavy as your eye)
I've kissed you in my mind
Kissed you goodbye
I've laid my gun down
All I've given has changed along the way
All I said, I know was true
You think I'm clever enough to say
Any love remaining, I don't share anymore
By the time it gets to you, it's a little war
And now, I must rush off to class. Hope you're having a nice day.
Since he belonged, even at the age of six, to that great clan which cannot keep this feeling separate from that, but must let future prospects, with joys and sorrows, cloud what is actually at hand, since to such people even in earliest childhood any turn in the wheel of sensation has the power to crystallise and transfix the moment upon which its gloom or radiance rests, James Ramsay, sitting on the floor cutting out pictures form the illustrated catalogue of the Army and Navy Stores, endowed the picture of a refrigerator, as his mother spoke, with heavenly bliss.
What's so funny, you ask? Well, that is perhaps the longest sentence I've ever read in a book. Look at it again if you didn't notice - it's all one sentence. And the next sentence was even longer.
When I was reading Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves, I remember that there was a passing reference to Virginia Woolf in the chapter on the comma. I guess it didn't register until now exactly how fond Mrs. Woolf was of said punctuation mark. I don't think I've ever encountered writing like hers before, and truth be told, it's actually somewhat of a challenge to read; as if you don't have enough time to (mentally) catch your breath as you work your way through the sentence. Her particular style, called "stream of consciousness", only works to further add to the difficulty of the text. Stream of consciousness - supposedly - allows for the expression, not only of a character's emotions, but also of his or her psychological motives and is characterised by a broken narrative and chronology. But it's also something new and interesting. So, we press on.
Anyone want to read To the lighthouse? Or perhaps Eats, Shoots and Leaves? Please feel free to browse my bookshelf, and ask for any book you might wish to peruse. I'm in the process of adding all my books, so the list will grow as time allows. Also, the covers are about 90% accurate since a few of the titles are of different edition than those listed.
In other news, John Stamos - Uncle Joey of "Full House" fame - has a new show called "Jake in Progress". It's not all that bad. Script-wise, I'm reminded of "Arrested Development". It also follows AD in that it lacks a laugh track/live audience. Which is a good thing in, my opinion. They've also come up with something new for the camera work and editing. Well, for current sitcoms, anyway. I guess it's a combination of "24" and "Down With Love". Very interesting. Unfortunately, I've found that shows that I find interesting have a habit of getting cancelled. I really liked Stamos' last effort, "Theives", but that too - though critically acclaimed - was cancelled. I hope this one fairs better.
You know, all this time I've been trying to figure out how you're supposed to denote the title of a television show or film. I've used quotation marks for both, but I have a sneaking suspicion that at least one - films, I think - should be underlined. Oh well... I'll leave that mystery to be solved on another post.
Speaking of the media, I've been equal parts impressed and disgusted with the advertising the TTC is running nowadays. I don't know if any of you who read this will remember, but during our group thing last, last Christmas, we passed through St. George station. At the time they were running a series of adverts for the lottery. Something to do with an Oriental Express theme, I think.
What was particularly interesting about that campaign was that they decided to use not just the the billboards on the walls, but the very walls and pillars themselves. The effect was very impressive, though a bit inundating on the visual side. A series if iPod ads followed using similar methods. But they took it up a notch and even used the stairs to sell us their wares that time. Currently, there's a campaign for Virgin Wireless that's been doing similar things, but even went as far as to first bait commuters with mysterious references to "The Catch". But, all in all, these have been very enjoyable.
On the other hand, I've also seen some disturbing trends, though they're mostly on the in-car posters. Some of the most recent ones are for a weight loss campaign featuring someone named 'Julie'. Leaving aside the rather unhealthy message they're selling, albeit softly - namely that you have to be a certain weight to be attractive and/or sexy - they've also been using some less than appropriate images and text to get their point across. Case in point: a waist to thigh shot of a woman in lingerie with the caption, "I am Julie. Last night, I did a strip tease for my husband."
While most of us, by this time, have been (perhaps unfortunately) desensitised to the point of not being bothered by such things, there are still children who ride the subway. Children, of whom there are especially many this week and who, I would hope, still have some innocence left to them. But considering the way things are going, not for too much longer I fear.
A Little Ware
Emm Gryner
From the album, Dead Relatives
I've laid my gun to rest
Below my feet
I've forgotten how to fire
Can you hear me?
I've dulled down my tongue
Visitied the other side
I'm waving white, mad and sorry
But you don't hear me
All I've given has changed along the way
All I've told you, you think I never meant to say
Any love remaining, I can't share anymore
By the time it gets to you, it's a little war
I hear the calm outside,
Knowing we'll never touch, I've laid it down
You should try to wear my love, I have
I'll always have (dark and heavy as your eye)
I've kissed you in my mind
Kissed you goodbye
I've laid my gun down
All I've given has changed along the way
All I said, I know was true
You think I'm clever enough to say
Any love remaining, I don't share anymore
By the time it gets to you, it's a little war
And now, I must rush off to class. Hope you're having a nice day.
