Photo via IMDb
After powering my way through Alice Sebold’s brilliant novel The Lovely Bones last week, I was excited to see the film version because this book had been such a great read. I had a hard time ever putting it down.
While I never really expect films to live up to the books that they are based on, you never know, and sometimes they actually do an amazing job with the adaptation (i.e. Cider House Rules, The Hours).
I’m not going to say that The Lovely Bones is a terrible movie. It’s visually impressive and soundly acted, but I do think it’s also quite misguided. And I’m stumped, as I so often am, as to why somebody thought this book should be a movie. I held out hope that Peter Jackson would be able to balance the same intense themes as the novel, but it was all for naught: his big-screen version is ambitious, but it only shares such a small fraction of the story. Granted, I did just finish the novel yesterday so the details are all fresh in my mind. The changes and omissions made to the story probably bothered me even more on account of this.
Alice Sebold’s book is about things that we don’t want to see — like a little girl’s rape and murder — and about things we can’t see: what goes on in the heads of those left behind, which is often very different from what they’re saying and doing; and what might happen to the soul of a child, who just might be able to watch over her loved ones from someplace else. The book is a delicate, elaborate balancing act that works marvelously; Sebold writes in a way that draws us in to a sort of magical world she weaves with words. But it’s not meant to be taken literally — and Peter Jackson’s heavy-handed, CGI-laden vision really falls short, in my opinion. Jackson, whose visionary filmmaking has earned him massive acclaim in the past, creates a heaven of brilliant, surreal landscapes in which Susie and her fellow dead frolic. The best aspects of Sebold’s novel, though, are the poignant, sometimes illicit relationships that formed in the wake of Susie’s murder. The film focuses far too much on the fantastic Inbetween and not enough on earth. Susie’s family deals with her death each in their own ways, as all grieving people do. However, either to shorten the film’s length or secure a PG-13 rating, Jackson skips or glosses over many of the aspects of the novel that made it so horrific and beautiful. The result, as with so many book-to-film adaptations, is a pretty, superficial muddle.
Photo via models.com
After what seemed like an eternity of anticipation, I finally watched The September Issue.
I loved it even more than I thought I would.
My favourite player?
Grace Coddington.
She’s American Vogue editor Anna Wintour’s right hand woman. She is easily the world’s most influential fashion editor, famous for transforming photographic spreads into narratives, a signature she pioneered in the 1970s at British Vogue. Although other magazines have since adopted this style, Grace pulls it off with a witty, modern romanticism that makes readers feel they are flipping through a picture book instead of just looking at shots of models in pretty clothing.
I found myself absolutely in awe of the divine Ms. Coddington as I watched the film. Her passion and artistic integrity are truly an inspiration. Brilliant much?
Grace is absolutely fabulous.
Photo via Infatuation Rehab
It seems that I just don’t have time to blog like I used to. Of course I still love to write, so when time allows and I feel inspired to do so, I will continue to post entries here. Additionally, I’ve decided to take a more “micro-blogging” approach and have started a Tumblr page: Jenni Tumbles. My plan is to use the new page as a kind of online scrapbook, if you will. Less writing, more photos, inspiration, quotes and cool things that I come across and want to share. I’d love for you all to check it out.
Filed under: life
via Mary Rambin:
I feel this is the best mindset to have starting the new year.
But don’t see it as capitulating to the bad of 2009. Be optimistic for 2010. Let life lead you to indescribable experiences that are out there waiting for you!
Photo via We Heart It
At the dawn of each year, in the fresh air of each new resolution season, my head hums half the time with a line from an old Paul Simon song: “The thought that life could be better is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains.”
The other half of the time, my head is spinning an old Beatles line: “Let it be.”
For many of us, resolution season throbs with those competing intuitions.
On the one hand, fellow slobs, you and I know that life could indeed be better if we just applied a little more mind and muscle.
The body, the spirit, the bank account. Those are not quite up to par, along with—let’s be frank—certain work habits.
How many more years do we have to get it together? If not this January, when?
On the other hand, my fellow sojourning souls, whenever “Let It Be” is playing loudly in my brain, I hear the truth of that tranquil mantra. I know then that the only thing that needs improvement is our ability to accept life as it is, ourselves as we are.
In those moments, I know that the only resolution required for a truly improved new year would be to stop striving and resolving.
Look at the word closely. Resolve. Re-solve.
With our interminable resolutions, we’re trying to solve, again and again, the thing that cannot be solved, which is the eternal mystery and mess of life itself.
Yes, fellow perfect souls, anything you’d resolve today is a version of something you resolved before, so why not just accept that you’ll always have an issue with your body, your spirit and your bank account?
Eventually my brain always lowers the volume on “Let It Be” and cranks up that Paul Simon song.
Let the fully enlightened among us, all four of them, languish in the perfection of what is. I need January.
To help pursue a better life, I’ve decided that I’m going to use the following resolutions form this year.
It’s based on the premise that the most successful resolutions are specific. Each entry asks for one, and only one, answer. If you accomplish all of these you will be entitled forevermore to let yourself be.
One thing I will learn:
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One place I will go:
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One physical habit I will break:
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One physical habit I will cultivate:
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One mental habit I will break:
———————————————-
One mental habit I will cultivate:
———————————————-
One relationship I’ll repair:
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One work habit I will change:
———————————————-
One thing I’ll throw out:
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A second thing I’ll throw out:
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One thing I’ll eat more often:
———————————————-
One thing I’ll eat less:
———————————————-
One thing I’ll drink more:
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One thing I’ll drink less:
———————————————-
One overdue e-mail I’ll send, or overdue phone call I’ll make:
———————————————-
One resentment I’ll get over:
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One person I’ll treat more respectfully:
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One thing I’ll spend less money on:
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One other change I’ll make in my finances:
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One thing I’ll spend less time doing:
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And a thing I’ll spend more time doing:
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One resolution I’ve made before but will honour this time because I really do believe that with a little effort life can be better:
———————————————-
I realize that I’ve been doing an awful lot of whining and complaining here lately. So can we please just take a moment to talk about how amazing Kate Hudson looks in this month’s issue of Harper’s Bazaar?
Photo Credit: Peter Lindbergh
Of all the shots though, it is this photo that epitomizes why I love her (and so think we’d totally be best friends, in real life). Just her, being goofy, with her kid, in Katz’s Deli wearing some totally fabulous dress. She’s the kind of person I can’t help but always want to root for, ever since those Almost Famous days…
Oh, I can’t wait to see Nine.
Another of our infamous office Christmas parties has come and gone. As always, it was a fun evening with my co-workers. We love an opportunity to get glammed up and go out on the town. This year’s Casino Royale themed soirée did not disappoint. I definitely drank my share of dirty martinis- leading me to somehow (rather miraculously) find enough stamina to stay out far later than I should have. This obviously did nothing to help stop that irritating little tickle in my throat from turning into a full-fledged flu, rendering me completely useless for the rest of the weekend.
So here it is. It’s Monday, a mere three sleeps until Christmas eve. I’m beyond under the weather and completely unprepared. Work is mental and the big day is almost here. I’m exhausted, stressed to the max and on top of feeling like absolute hell, my voice is almost non existent and I have a cough that won’t quit. No amount of salt water gargling seems to be able to fix it. I have presents to buy, which will also need to be wrapped at some point, and getting out of bed today was rather challenging in itself. I couldn’t feel more overwhelmed tonight. I would give absolutely anything for December to slow the eff down. I’d just like to be able to enjoy the holidays.
Since it’s almost bed time and I can’t do anything about any of this tonight, I’m going to take a deep breath, put Elf on my tv (again) and TRY to relax. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts, son of a b…
Mark Regimbal.
Some time praying mantis.
Part time bully. Full time friend.
Always one to keep people guessing, Mark also has a serious knack for finding shocking material which he then uses to post frequent cringe-worthy entries on his blog. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Click that link at your own risk.
There’s a hell of a lot I could say about my friend Mark Regimbal, but I think it can really all be summed up in just three words:
He is rad.
Wishing you a very happy birthday today, Mark.
Photo via Walk on the Wild Side
I’m sipping on weight loss tea this evening. I’m secretly hoping that it will somehow counteract the shortbread I couldn’t say no to this morning. Who is the asshole that left a box of shortbread on the table in the lunch room at work today, anyway? Don’t they know I’m stressed out and shortbread is my Christmas kryptonite?
I can’t believe it’s the middle of December already! Where has the last month gone?
At some point, I suppose I should start my Christmas shopping. I always do this. Last minute Lucy. It’s my version of living on the edge. I’ve also completely dropped the ball on the Christmas card situation this year. I didn’t feel entirely guilty until I pulled the most adorable, little holiday card with a photo of a koala bear inside out of my mailbox. It was from my favourite pseudo Australians. Now I feel like a jackass.
In order to get through the next couple of weeks at work (which are bound to be absolutely insane,) I’ve decided that this will be my mantra:
Photo via Etsy
I’m serious.
Filed under: personal | Tags: Christmas, christmas tree, family, traditions
After a pretty intense last month or so with very few quiet nights in, I was very much looking forward to a mellow, low key weekend in the valley. Thankfully, that’s just what I got.
On Saturday morning, I set out with the fam (including our adorable, little cousins) to our favourite Christmas tree farm in Fort Langley. We have a great family tradition of tree hunting at the Dogwood Christmas Tree Farm. The conditions this year couldn’t have been better. Snowflakes fell from the sky and landed on our noses. Christmas carols played on the speaker system throughout the property. We scoped out the perfect trees, cut ‘em down and then enjoyed candy canes, plus cups of hot chocolate and apple cider while we warmed up by the fire. I have to say, the tree we chose this year is particularly perfect.
Last night it was time to decorate. Decorating the family tree is definitely one of my favourite holiday traditions. In fact, I get kinda Monica Geller-esque when it comes time to pull out the ornaments. Thus, I was in charge while my Dad passed out bottles of Granville Island Winter Ale. Mom helped with the lights and directed me in my bow placement as I entertained the crowd (aka sang aloud to carols, danced and took a verbal walk down memory lane with each decoration I pulled out of the box).
Three more sleeps until the BFF lands in Vancouver. I couldn’t be more excited to see him.
