rantings about 3d

What is so special about 3d films? I don't get it. I have been to see about 3 or 4 of them. Only in 1 did I get what I was expecting because it seems as though if you are not in the right seats it doesn't really work. And even the film where it did work annoyed me. There I was trying to watch a film and it was as though rain was splashing against my glasses, as though branches of trees were impeeding my viewing.

On top of that they charge extra to go and see these films. So I pay a monthly amount to be able to see any film but then suddenly I have to pay extra for some... what a crock!

If all these effects are in a theme park ride I get it but why do people want it when they are watching a film. When I am watching a film I want to lose myself in the story. It is not like the effect is like a holodeck from star trek where you are actually involved in the story - and even then if I wanted to watch a film I wouldn't go to holodeck.

The new Harry Potter film will be out soon and again it is in 3d. I have not intention of going to watch it in 3d, the story is what I want. If I want things flying at me, making me want to duck I will go to Universal studios and go on their 3d rides.

Went to see 'The Kids are alright' today. Not in 3d I might add. It was actually very good, there were a few good lines that had me laughing. There were quite a few truisms in the way the family were portrayed and that was nice to see. So many of these films have unrealistic family dynamics it was nice to see some reality in it. And all of this was acheived without the need for 3d.

Enough ranting, I know some people really like it, it enhances the experience for them but not for me. I hope it doesn't get to the point where you can only see some films in 3d, it would be a bad day if that happened in my opinion.

Wow - a year has passed

Hasn't time flown - a year since my last post and what a depressing one that was. I had written the poem on a scrap of paper years before and wanted to put it somewhere safe which is why I posted it.
My (early) new years resolution is to post more regularly. I like looking back on these things and want more of them - so lets see what the rest of 2010 and the new year 2011 will bring.

When does life begin?

Life flows by

Rapid and galloping

beyond control

No control, no escape

.

Not the vision imagined

educated, voted,

travelled, employed

None matters

.

Surplus, obsolete, defunct

A spare wheel, attached by threads

Alone, Single

An outsider within a family

School reading

I started this blog thinking that I would be able to write thoughts about what I was up to in life... I just hadn't figured life would get in the way so much. Over a week has past since I last posted.

I have now finished Pride and Prejudice. It's a lovely book. But why have I never read it before? You would have thought this would have been a good book to read at school. But no... Why do schools insist in introducing children to books that are going to alienate them from reading? As a child I had enough going against me with regards to reading. M and big bro read loads and where now that means I get to borrow from the big bro library, as a child it put me off. There was nothing worse than struggling through a book, trying to work out the words and meanings only to have big bro finish it in half the time and understand more of it.

Now big bro is only big bro by 16 months so this is not because I was too little, it is just our reading styles. He skim reads, gets the meanings and the impressions behind the words. I on the other hand have to read and absorb every single word to understand the meanings. Missing one out means starting the whole sentence or paragraph again. This could be very frustrating as a child. Mind you, I had the edge on vocalising my thoughts though, equally frustrating for big bro who liked to think things through before saying them. While he was thinking about his next sentence I would interrupt.. and frequently got belted by big bro for it!

It's a question of faith

The Big Bro library includes DVDs. Tonights veiwing was supposed to be a nice, easy, non-thought provoking choice. Now, my mistake, I thought my choice was perfect - who would have thought that Billy Connolly was a theologian and not a comic!

"The man who sued God" - now I admit it may not have been the deepest films that I have ever watched - but it does make you think. The idea that insurance companies would hide behind the get out clause of 'act of God' - who'd o'thought it?!

As the film progressed I was wondering about the outcome and how the writers would resolve the dilema. If the film successfully showed that God was responsible for 'acts of God' then wouldn't scores of people start sueing the Churches. Everyone would have jumped on the bandwagon. However, on the flip side - what film of this type of genre could actually end with the main character losing? Now the film was Australian made so I guess may not have had the same pressure as a Hollywood blockbuster to have a happy ending - but even so... well I'm not going to say in case someone wanted to see the film but despite not being a Hollywood blockbuster everything was neatly wrapped up in a little over an hour and a half.

There were some valid points made in the film. If God exists and Priests are Gods representatives on earth then are they not to be held responsible? Should they therefore pay out when the insurance companies do not? It's not as if the Churches are bankrupt, and are they not supposed to give to the needy? Or will the Churches fall back of their get out clause - 'God moves in mysterious ways'.

Could 'God' be legitimately sued for all the pain and suffering that are caused by God's acts? If so - could God then legitimately expect payment in return for all the happiness that an individual receives in their life? What price would be put on those first moments of happiness as a child? A piggy-back ride? A surprise treat?

Does the cost vary depending on the amount of effort that goes in to achieve it? If you get full marks in a school test that you really worked for does that cost more becuase of the increased satisfaction of knowing you did well than if you sailed through without effort? Or does the fact that you sailed through mean that God gave you the gift to help you so therefore you owe more?

The lawyers defending the churches in the film realise that the only way the churches can win is by admiting that God does not exist. The definition of 'Atheism' on the net brings references like 'the belief that God does not exist'. Towards the end of the film a Rabbi says "It's a question of faith - either you believe He doesn't exist or you don't." It's an interesting thought - atheism is as much a question of faith as any other religion or belief system. Then again maybe God is just leading Atheists along a different path.

Who know's? I certainly don't and that is enough depth for tonight. Back to pride and Prejudice - I might actually finish it soon!

Books to come

I've just been to the Big Bro library - I don't know what I would do without him (possibly have to buy my own books). I get the best of both worlds with Big Bro - he decides what I should read so no decisions needed and then I tell him if I liked it or not. I also get to borrow DVDs from him at the same time - Big Bro does not have the same aversion to spending that has afflicted me!

So books to come include some Dean Koontz who I have read a few books of already and a couple of new series the Big Bro has recommended that I try.

I will keep you posted but in the meantime I will go back to Pride and Prejudice.

I hope Sunday is going well for everyone.

Hannah Hauxwell

Well, here the reason that I started the blog in the first place. I have just finished the second Hannah Hauxwell book.

These were Grans' books. I had never heard of Hannah Hauxwell before I got the books from Gran.

She seems like a true Northern country woman. Not afraid of hard work, in touch with the reality of her situation and not about to let 'fluff' mix up her ideas of what is the right and proper way to approach a situation.

The first book I read 'Seasons of my life' was great. I could barely put it down. Surprising for me as I don't normally read biography type books - that's more m's thing than mine.

The way that Hannah comes across in the book though is just how people have described first meeting her - she is a natural conversationalist. The book feels real. It expresses both the bleakness and the beauty of the dales. The feeling that time has stood still in that part of the world is apparent in the way Hannah expresses herself.

The second book 'Daughter of the Dales' I did not find as enjoyable and was in fact quite pleased to have finished it - although I seem to have run out of books that are appealing for me to read them - I think a visit to the Big Bro library is on the cards - roll on some fantasy novel!

'Daughter of the Dales' had less of Hannah in - there was more recollections of other people from the area who knew Hannah or her family. Hannah has also moved so the beauty of Low Birk Hatt farm was not as apparent.

I loved the history of the old ways of life that was apparent in both books - it brings back memories of why I wanted to study history in the first place.