Breaking my own rules

I have a self-imposed rule that I don't watch the movie without reading the book, but tonight I was a renegade and did just the opposite.

I know The Great Gatsby is an American literary classic, but not one that I had ever been tempted to read. I was drawn to seeing the movie by a respect for Leonardo Di Caprio and a growing girl crush on Carey Mulligan. I was a little dubious about whether it not I would enjoy the directiorial style of Baz Luhrmann, having not enjoyed what he's done in the past. But I hadn't seen a movie for ages, and as I am trying to keep myself super busy in the evenings at the moment, it seemed like a good one to tick of the list if 'seen its.'

While it had some lulls, I really enjoyed it. It had the visual wow factor; lots of glitz and glamour and 20s schwang. And I loved the make-up, jewellery and accessories, especially Daisy's headband in one of the party scenes .... see pic.

I wasn't so sure about the music... The incorporation of hip-hop seemed a little incongruous with the sense of period other aspects of the film tried to illustrate. 

But what I really loved was the direct commentaries from the book by Tobey Maguire's Nick Carraway. I have enjoyed reading quotes from the book tonight (thanks Google) and recalling the scene from the movie. It's enough to (almost) make me want to read the book after the effect!

“He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.” 

"And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.” 

“Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope.” 

"I was within and without. Simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” 

"Can’t repeat the past?…Why of course you can!"

“His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed like a flower and the incarnation was complete.” 

Auckland Photo Day 2013

What wonderful weather we had in this pretty city yesterday for Auckland Photo Day!

I visited several destinations, mainly keeping it local (South Auckland).

I entered 3 of these... I wonder if you can guess which ones? I am second guessing myself on my selection now, but what's done is done; I can still enjoy them all!

Sunrise, from Wattle Downs

Kauri Point Reserve, Wattle Downs

Botanic Gardens

Netball Courts, Bruce Pulman Park

Artificial ponds, Wattle Downs

Cornwall Park

Nathan Homestead

Eden Park

Eden Park

A Teenage Perspective

I have given in to the geek in me (again) and joined a book club. We are a small yet enthusiastic group brought together by one common denominator, my friend Kate. (You can follow her blog here.)
We have met three times now and I love that our conversations are not necessarily firmly focussed on the book of the month, but that we also spontaneously stray into reliving and re-loving books we have read in the past.
At last week's session, which was supposedly discussing Room by Emma Donoghue, we got on to discussing a book that I remember having a profound impact on me as a teenager - Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (although Wikipedia tells me it was actually written by a Beatrice Sparks). With the click of an iPad it was located on Amazon and deposited into my digital library, and I read it with almost the same speed.
At the time of my first read many, many moons ago, this diarised journey of a teenager drawn into the world of drugs was almost a forbidden read, a shocking story with a devastating epilogue. As a teenager it took me into a world I am grateful to say I have still never been a part of (or ever will be).
As an adult I must admit that despite the content being just as abhorrent, it felt like quite a tame read. Maybe this is because it was told from a teenage perspective, for a teenage audience. Or maybe it's because it followed the reading and discussion of Room and the realism that it coincided with the horrors and escape of the three women in Cleveland. Or maybe there's just so much 'shocking stuff' that we hear, see and read about in today's adult world that we've become desensitized. Who knows. It was good to revisit an old friend, regardless.

An Unsatisfying Ending!

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I am enjoying the freedom to write what I like and read what I like since the completion of my thesis. Over the weekend I completed another novel, which I loved... and loathed!

I loved the journey "Gone Girl' took me on, and the changes in the way I felt about the characters as more information was divulged. A clever use of the diary format by the author to tell a different side to a story helped to develop the story and characters
But I felt completely jilted by the ending. I mean I love a good twist, but the way this book finished left me completely unsatisfied and with a bad taste in my mouth. I want to rewrite it the way it should be!

Wall of Fame!

Just took a couple of phone snaps before I whisked myself upstairs to bed, to show off the 18 new blocks on my fast-filling photo wall in the hallway. (Cheated a bit with four triptych series going up, but still have 3 more blocks to hang, just ran out of hanging strips). It's certainly grown since here.

I don't really call it the 'Wall of Fame'... but am grateful for the opportunities I have had to capture the 'famous' faces of friends and family who grace it. 

The wall exists entirely for my own pleasure, and unintentionally represents my journey as a budding photographer. I am often tempted to take down some of the earlier photos I proudly displayed, as I see fault with so many of them now. But then I think that they serve as a reminder that I have improved over time, and photographic principle and appeal aside, each of them represents a moment or a memory worth recalling when I stop for a look. It always makes me happy.

Anyone can do it...

I've been on Instagram for quite some time, but have only just started re-using it, particularly as my first choice social-media-instant-photosharing option.

I love the way anyone can be a fantabulous photographer by using apps like Instagram. They are so great at transforming an ordinary moment into something quite extraordinary, and I intend to make the most of the Instagram filters in particular when I being the 100 Days project next month for that very purpose.

Here are this weekend's pickings - so far :)

Candid and Cute

Sometimes those one of snaps with the right light make for a pleasing candid portrait.

I love this headshot of my friend's 4 year old that I took at a birthday party yesterday