The Twilight Phenomenon

Hello my lovely followers I realise it has been a while since my last post, but as you are about to read the past couple of weeks of my life have been consumed with a shameful obsession. Yes dear followers I am afraid I have been sucked (no pun intended) into the literary nonsense that is the twilight saga.

It all began when Stephen suggested that we watch the movie for something to do one evening, not knowing that hopeless romantic dwelling within me would be easily sucked in. I have since watched the film another four times.......I am wondering if there is some sort of 12 step programme I can follow for this little addiction.

Right I'm rambling (hence the blog title.) The main intention of this new post was in essence to review the evil which is Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. I'll give a brief overview of how I feel having now completed the saga................................I love it dearly. However, all four books have left me wanting in some way, or left me dissapointed.

Let's start with Twilight the first novel of saga, at first I was in awe of the love story I had seen in the film, but it only took me a few chapters to start to feel annoyed with Meyer's writing style. I know the saga is in essence trash, but still I don't expect slang (and American slang at that) in the text, if it is a quotation it is passable. However, Meyer uses slang thorough out the novel, and at times it reads more like a magazine than a book. I know that the Twilight saga is aimed at a younger audience but surely we should be teaching our teenagers to express themselves properly (oh dear, I sound old.)

Next is New Moon, if I'm honest this my least favourite it is very slow, and the first time read it I ended skipping about 4 chapters because I was so bored I just wanted to finish the book! I have since gone back and reread the bits that I skipped...dull, dull, dull. New Moon discusses the blossoming relationship between Bella and her werewolf friend Jacob Black, as Edward as left her after the mishap of his brother Jasper trying to eat Bella (it's happened to us all, although it's usually the mother-in-law!!) To me most the book seemed pointless as in the Edward comes back, in was just a way of dragging the story out a little.

Eclipse and Breaking Down were my favourites of the saga, although they suffered with the same negatives as the previous novels. The plot was slow moving and the use of slang rather frustrating. Breaking Down was essential three books 2 written from Bella's perspective, and the other from Jacob's. I wasn't really a fan of this, I found it ruined the flow of the book, and as I has had little interest in Jacob as a character throughout the novels I found it annoying.

There are a few other aspects of the saga in general which don't quite sit right with me. Firstly, my boyfriend took away the innocence of the story by asking me what a one hundred year old vampire would find attractive about a 17 year old girl.......if I consider this for to long I don't think I will ever be able to read or see anything to do with the twilight saga ever again. And Secondly, I am convinced that Bella is actually Meyer and that the saga was written to escape her otherwise mundane life...for example Meyer kind of looks like Bella, and they both live in Phoenix.....either that or the author has no imagination as she has used a lot of her families names within the book.

Despite my little rant on how dissappointed I was, I did truly enjoy the books I understand they will not appeal to everyone but love the romance. I only hope that Meyer recovers from the betrayal of Midnight Sun being leaked and continues to write it.


Sarah's must listen to this week: Twilight Soundtrack (hehe)

Imaginary Shopping

Firstly, I'll apologise for the lack of blogging, but I have had an infection in my foot (yes, my foot) which caused much moaning which unfortunately has taken up most of my time (much to Stephen's annoyance, no doubt!)  

Recently I read an article in the Sunday Times Style magazine about splurge shopping, basically any purchase over £400 for a man, and £200 for a women is classed as a splurge.  Now anyone that knows me should know I love to to shop, but unfortunately these past three years as a student has made me thrifty, I now question £20 on a dress.  Although feeling overwhelming jealousy for the woman who could "splurge" on just one more Mulberry Bayswater (just one would be nice!) I continued to read.  she then suggested to those who cannot afford just another Bayswater (me!!) to fake shop, which basically involves logging on to Pret A Portobello (or whatever takes your fancy) and going through the whole online shopping process, apart from the actual paying for it!!

Alright you probably think I have lost the plot, but my god it works.  It almost has the same gratification as actually shopping abviously it's not the same but it saves me from not paying the rent!  So here is today's fake purchase:

http://www.pretaportobello.com/Onlineproductdetail.aspx?PId=e93cb4f1-da3a-42d2-a4ac-8676fdaac8b5

I recommended this to anyone who has the blues of never having enough money for what you want!  Happy Fake Shopping my lovelies!!

Sarah's must listen to this week: Royksopp - Junior 

Coldplay VS Cat Stevens

I know this is quite an old story, but I found this whilst wasting some of my life surfing the tinernet and found it rather amusing!!

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=121&title=coldplay_vs_cat_stevens_plagiarism_or_co&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Oh and good news I finished the heritage essay in time, so that is one down two to go!!

The Creation of a Blog

At the moment this blog is purely another tool of procrastination, but who knows it may blossom into something beautiful! 

At the minute I am facing impending doom of a 3000 word essay which is due tomorrow, my word count is currently at 700. I have a mild hang over after an unexpected trip to lloyds bar (classy, I know) with Emma and Gary.  So the last thing I really want to be thinking about is how heritage tourism is related to audience development.

With my graduation looming, I have been wondering about the worth of my degree.  On July 28th (if I pass) I will have a BA (hons) in Arts Management, it will leave me around £18,000 in debt and I probably won't be able to get a job with it (thanks for that Gordon.)  University is now seen as a must for most young people wanting to make something of themselves, in my opinion that's crap!

At the weekend I travelled back home for an old school friends wedding, it was a beautiful wedding and I'm so happy for them, but at the same time it made me slightly unaccomplished.  Stephen and I have been together 4 1/2 years, and regularly talk about marriage (I've already chosen the venue) and children, however realistically we aren't going to be able to afford it for years.  Thanks to student debt. 

 Basically university has left me with a bitter taste, I don't feel I have gained enough from my course to compensate for the stress and debt it has given me over the past three years.  Yes it has had it's good parts, I've met some nice people, learnt some amazing stuff, and had some really cool lecturers. I have also had some really awful lecturers, I mean truly awful, dull, and uninspiring.

So as I enter the finally month of essays and exams, I am glad it's over and given the choice again I'm sure I would go to university.  I don't regret going but I wouldn't recommend going either, unless your studying something like medicine or law.  No matter what people say university is only for those, who can let mummy and daddy pay for everything, any thoughts??