50 Shades and Charity Shop Trawl

N.B. I have nothing against Fifty Shades - in fact, I admire the trilogy's success.

In preparation for my start at university, I, like all other English students, have a reasonable list of books that need to be purchased and (preferably) read before the start of term. As we all know, books these days ain't so cheap, so I took to trawling the charity shops in my local area (there are 7 of them along one road) in search of cheap books.

Sadly, there was a deficit in the books that I required for my course, but there was an oversupply of copies of E. L. James' 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and the sequels. I confess, I haven't read them, although due to all the hype surrounding the books I am fairly confident in my knowledge of the plot and 'events' in the novel.

In every single charity shop I went into there was at least one copy, usually more, of Fifty - in my local Oxfam they were doing a deal on the whole trilogy for £2 (or something). It made me consider novels such as James', which are undeniably popular, hugely successful and undoubtedly relieve the author of any need to write again (for money's sake, that is), yet are essentially throw away fiction - once read, the owners are willing to disown their copy to free up shelf space for a more 'literary' title or perhaps, the owners of the novel are somewhat embarrassed to have had a copy in the first place, and are therefore eager to chuck it (or at least, this is what I gathered from my charity shop ventures).

I don't know - this is all highly speculative and suggestive - but it did make me consider what it is that makes  a novel rarely show up in a charity shop (by that I mean, people giving away a novel). Yes, once could argue the novel that never sells will never end up in a charity shop; naturally, popular novels, which are more widely read are more likely to find their way to the British Heart Foundation. Although there weren't so many copies of 'A Game of Thrones' or 'Harry Potter'...

If I were to ever write a novel (and I'm not holding my breath on that one) I would like, naturally, to have even the tiniest portion of success that James has had, although at the same time, I would not want my novel to join the ranks of 'throw-away fiction'. (N.B. I am all for giving to charity, just so you know, and I give away regularly.) Yet, perhaps is that what fiction has become - a quick and easy read for the otherwise very busy mind? Do 21st C people seek clutter free lives, so they throw out paper volumes to read i-pad and kindle editions instead?

I never knew that a trip to the charity shop would stimulate such thought! Still, I went home and ordered the books off amazon...and my first package arrived today!

Epic Stages!

So after a 6 week National Youth Theatre course, the final day has arrived. It's strange how fast time goes; especially when, at the start, one cannot imagine it passing or happening at all.

The course (Epic Stages) was full of masterclasses all to do with acting - be it Shakespeare, voice masterclass, stage combat, acting for screen and many more - as well as working in a group of 25 and 50 to devise and create a piece of theatre, which we performed at Hackney Empire on Friday 30th August 2013. Plus, we had regular Q&As with industry professionals as well as having general rehearsals, where the group learned ensemble skills, worked together as a team and got to know each other.

It was a fabulous (yes, I just used that word) whirlwind - learning so much, being with so many new, inspiring people and really launching into the creative industry. I certainly feel that this summer has been one where I have learned the most (out of all my previous summers!), not only learning about theatre and the industry, but also about myself. I think I have 'grown up', so to speak, over this summer - from being completely naive of how to be properly 'independent' to taking my first steps towards this.

Living in London has been an absolute treat, and following my graduation (a mere 3 years down the line...!), assuming that all goes to plan, I will return to the city, hopefully to throw myself into the London theatre making, creative scene that I have so recently been exposed to.

The course, and the social side of it, has been completely consuming for the past 44 days, so returning home back to a slower pace will be a huge change, but I'm excited to get going, get creating, and see where I end up next.

8 Things I Didn't Know About London

So I have been staying in London for the past 3 weeks, and the extended period has made me realise facts about the metropolis that I had previously overlooked... So here goes:


1. There are Starbucks and Costas on every street - everywhere you look, every road full of bustling and jostling people...except when I desperately needed a Frappa and there was neither Costa nor Starbucks to be found.

2. The city is constantly alive and roaring - brilliant and electric and buzzing. Except, why Mr Bottle Collector Men (or women!), do you have to empty the recycling bottle bins at 5am? I am constantly awoken to the sound of a hundred bottles clanking into each other (not that I am complaining, of course).

3. Angel is a fabulous place, full of bars and restaurants, shops, cinemas - and all fairly central. I had never been there until recently, and was mighty glad to have visited it. I will definitely return there.

4. I always knew there was theatre in London. But I was never aware of just how much - the city has so much creativity, so many productions; so many discourses waiting to be watched.

5. The Hammersmith and City Line (as of August 2013) is not particularly reliable - although London transport is, on the whole, brilliant with tubes/trains/DLR/buses/ and, of course, the trade mark black taxis.

6. The National and the Old Vic sell £12 theatre tickets - bargainnnnn!

7. Time Out has all the news on the arts...and has recently become a FREE magazine. I did not know this - it was a serendipitous moment when I stumbled across a Time Out distributor, and provided me with my cultural dosage for the day.

8. Pop-up bars and restaurants are the 'it' thing - usually there is good food, good service, affordable prices - all for a limited time only, before the pop-up pops-away.

The longer I stay, the more I learn...I will be sure to let you know soon what else I discover!

España

España. Spain. According to Wiki: ‘Officially [known as] the Kingdom of Spain’.

To the Brits stereotypically speaking, Spain is a country full of beaches, beer, sun, sea, Benidorm and questionably pronounced ‘gracias’-es. And, it is true – Spain offers this to those who seek just that.

However, there is so much more. I visited my grandparents who live there, and we went to a Medieval market, which was (bearing in mind my current obsession with ‘A Game of Thrones’, ‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘The Hobbit’, anything Tudor and by Philippa Gregory) honestly the best market I have been to. Ever.

Shortly afterwards we went to Bilbao – an inland city in northern Spain. Surprisingly, for a country reported to be struggling economically, Bilbao was a modern metropolis, with smooth roads, clean streets, complete with metro, trams, trains, boats (there is a large river called the Nervión that runs straight through the centre of Bilbao).

Whilst there, like the tourists that we are, we visited one of the top city attractions – the Guggenheim Museum, which houses a huge art collection (luckily the collection is not overwhelmingly large – don’t even get me started on the thought of tackling the Louvre) and some questionable pieces of ‘art’. Regardless of such ‘art’, the building is pretty amazing and in itself deserving of a visit.

Aside from the main tourist attractions, we tackled Bilbao on foot, seeking out little local places. My favourite local eatery was suggested by the hotel secretary – a breakfast bar, ‘El Manuel’. It was as though I was Charlie in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. No, scrap that – Augustus Gloop in Wonka’s Factory. I have never seen so many sweet things in one place: tarts, pastries, little cakes, chocolate, big cakes, iced buns, custard creams... all especially delightful when accompanied by a ‘cafe con leche por favor’ (coffee with milk), with a piece of chocolate thrown in (on the saucer, heavens not in the coffee) for good measure.

There were other places close to Bilbao, all of which are in the Basque Country, such as Sans Sebastian and Vitoria. I have never seen so many people crowded onto one beach as I witnessed in Sans Sebastian, and I (not being a major beach gal at heart), could not understand the attraction of a standing-room-only beach. Still, the Spanish holiday-makers were definitely enjoying themselves, and I was perfectly happy strolling along the promenade (sorry for sounding so 19^th Century bourgeois!), so it was all fine – each to their own.

I won’t go on recalling my holiday, lest you (my dear reader) grow bored or lest this entry becomes like a diary entry, so I will call a close here. My main point is that Spain is a country full of diversity, and it is a shame that there is a misconception that it is mostly beach and booze. The coast is beautiful but inland speaks the true nature of the country – one full of history, culture, good food...and places that make you feel like the only tourist in the region.

‘You owe to yourself to do something remarkable with your life’

As you may have noticed, I am definitely one for a good quote, and the one above stuck deep. I read it over a year ago in New York; the quote was framed and hung from a piano on wheels, which a skilled local pianist was playing – his sweet music flowed effortlessly along a street in South Street Seaport. He had decided that throughout the summer of 2012, he was going to wheel his piano to various locations across NY and busk – just himself, along with his dog, piano and wise words of wisdom.

Naturally, I think we all aspire to be able to achieve this – to look back over the years and really believe that we did do something remarkable. With the recent news of Nelson Mandela’s deteriorating health, it made me consider how remarkable he is. I confess, I knew very little about him until recently when I started doing some research into his life, and whilst researching I found this:

‘In October 1963 Nelson Mandela joined nine others on trial for sabotage in what became known as the Rivonia Trial.  Facing the death penalty his words to the court at the end of his famous ‘Speech from the Dock’ on 20 April 1964 became immortalized:

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”’

Source: http://www.nelsonmandela.org/content/page/biography

His actions were remarkable – he was in prison for 27 years, fighting for what he selflessly believed in. I cannot comprehend that length of time – that is longer than I have lived – nor Mandela’s ability to keep spirit and motivation for so many years. But he was richly rewarded, by becoming the first black President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, as well as being responsible for removing the pro-apartheid government in South Africa.

It is clear that everyday people live in the shadows of such greats – there are only a certain number of people that can be Presidents, who can be the drivers of change, and who succeed. However, we can still be remarkable in our own way (and I am not trying to preach here, even though this is how it sounds!), by striving for what we believe in, by being moral and true to ourselves and embracing change for the better.

‘You can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can.’

‘You can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can.’

This statement of Mr Gatsby’s is fairly familiar, following the hugely publicised release of Baz Luhrmann’s film ‘The Great Gatsby’, and I suppose this appears that I am jumping on the band-wagon hype that is currently encircling F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most popular novel.

I probably am.

But the novel does definitely raise some interesting questions about repeating the past, and so it made me think. I, personally, would not want to repeat the past, unlike our dear friend Jay Gatz – after all, I want to go on and see what’s ahead not stay behind with something where you know what’s going to happen – because you have been there before.

Naturally, the concept of the past and looking back appears throughout literature (I am afraid this post will be a fairly literary one, but I am not trying to be pretentious, promise!) – I read in ‘Brideshead Revisited’ by Evelyn Waugh the idea that “These memories which are my life – for we possess nothing certainly except the past – were always with me.”

This concept I actually find much more interesting that Gatsby’s idea; I had never really considered that the only thing in life that is certain is what has already happened. And I think that is true. At the moment I feel like nothing is really certain; even down to me going to university in October – which I really hope to and want to do – all depends on a succession of events going exactly as planned so that I arrive in my new halls in late September all ready and rearing to go.

I suppose that’s part and parcel of life – living with the constant unknown. Which brings me to another quote (I promise this is the last one) ‘"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door," he used to say. "You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."’ This, as you may have guessed, is in both the film and book ‘The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring’ (which I confess I have not read, but I have watched the film, honest), and I think this actually sums up my whole point; life is full of unknown, and I suppose there is definite security in ‘repeating the past’ because you know exactly what will happen next.

Yet, I personally think the unknown makes things all the more exciting, and actually makes me more motivated to try things, in the ignorant hope that something’ll happen.

So no, Mr Gatsby, you are definitely wrong, you can’t repeat the past, and I think it’s a jolly good thing that we can’t, old sport.

London Theatre

There has always been much to see on London's West End, but perhaps I have become more attuned to it of late, but there seem to be so many productions I want to see.

Firstly I saw an interview on channel 4 with Judi Dench about herself and Ben Wishaw in the new play by John Logan called 'Peter and Alice'. The synopsis (if that's what you can call it) of the play sounds brilliant - really imaginative; it's about when the real life Alice (upon whom the Alice from Wonderland was based) meeting Peter Llwellyn Davies - the boy who was Peter Pan.

Secondly, there is Helen Mirren in 'The Audience' - with Mirren's background, from my understanding lying in theatre, it would be great to see her where she first started out. They play is about some of the weekly meetings our current Queen (Elizabeth II) has had with the Prime Ministers throughout her reign. Although a fiction, it clearly incorporates fact and with the recent death of Margaret Thatcher, the play is full of topical subjects.

Also the Globe - their latest season sounds fab! There is something seemingly magical to me about watching 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' in a midsummers evening, with the warm summer air drifting in...even if the reality is raining and cold (!), plus this is one of my favourite Shakespeares (although I confess I cannot make a definite judgement of my favourite because I have not read all of them...yet!).

I could go on - with Jude Law in Henry V (as if, the real Jude Law!), The Tempest at the Globe, and the National Theatre's 'A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time' (the book is superb and thought provoking - a definite must, a mon avis, if you haven't read it).

It is clear to me, that whilst I love film, theatre is by no means falling behind and there is nothing quite like a live performance, where there is always an element of the unknown and the spontaneity, that naturally film can never deliver. Clearly, now is definitely the time to become excited about theatre (if you weren't already!). Bring on Summer seasons of 2013!

Not That Scared

It was strange, because recently I did my last (ever) performance with the theatre company that I had been a part of for some years. I suppose it was a bit of an 'end of an era', but I don't really feel that yet - perhaps I will realise it more retrospectively. However, whilst this is all fine and interesting is not what I wanted to write about.

Whilst I was waiting to go on stage I remember feeling fairly relaxed, which is strange for me, because usually I feel absolutely awful before standing up in front of people (but yes, I kept doing it, so clearly it can't have been that bad - you could be thinking that, and you would probably be right). But I found myself (of all things) this time worrying about my lack of nervousness about going on stage - I kept thinking that if I wasn't nervous enough, then I was being arrogant in thinking I could do it, and then surely it would go wrong.

So just before I go onstage, I feel a bit flushed, my hands are a bit clammy, my heart is beating a little faster - yes I can feel the nerves - but I am excited. I don't want to run away from the stage and go home and read. And I suddenly realise that I am not that scared because I think, well if this goes wrong, I will never perform here again - so what does it really matter? Enjoy it.

And I did. I really did try to drag out the last line of my piece, savouring that last moment. The rest is history.

But it just made me smile to myself that, after all the years of being scared about performing, by my last performance something has definitely changed, and ironically, I sort of want to go back and do all the acting again, just minus the horrible nerves. Funny how things change - for me now that I am not going be doing any performing until at least September, I cannot wait to perform again.

Paris When It (doesn't) Sizzles

So off I headed to Paris for a city break last week (this explains my absence on the blogging front), and yes, the city is just as beautiful in your mind as it is in reality, but tres froid in February, hence my titular description. This gave me plenty of excuse to dive into warm cafes to grab a hot chocolate and stare out over the bright but chilly mornings/afternoons/evenings, but made it somewhat difficult to walk around (outside) to all the places planned (we did it anyway, just had to brace ourselves a bit). Still, I am not complaining!

But, as I am trying to kid myself that I am some kind of tour operator, I have compiled a list of 4 things to do in Paris (perhaps in the cold, or in the warm spring/summer time) that may be slightly off the beaten track - and by that I mean, I am expecting you, my well traveled and intelligent reader, to travel to go up the Eiffel tower without my written prompting. This list of 4 are perhaps things that may be overlooked, but a mon avis, are well worth a visit.

1. Visit the 'Shakespeare and Company' bookstore.
As you probably know, I love reading, I love beautiful books (and ugly ones too), and I also, as is probably expected, love bookstores. This is the most fabulous bookshop I have ever been into - it's jam packed with books, some expected titles, old books, Parisian books etc, which are all arranged in a higgedly piggedly (yet orderly) fashion across this 100 year old bookshop. And a bonus is that the books are in English, and that the bookstore has Shakespeare in the name. Plus, it's a stones throw from the Notre Dame (just cross the bridge, and why hello there bookstore)

Photograph, taken by me (copyright Alexandra Butler, thanks)

2. Spend an hour or longer walking round  the Pere Lachaise Cemetery - the largest cemetery in Paris, and it's gorgeously gothic, full of amazing gravestones/statues - it's eerily still, highly atmospheric and it's a great place to soak up the time-old atmosphere and feel the life that has been present in Paris for centuries. Plus, there are famous graves, such as Oscar Wilde's, Jim Morrison's, Victor Noir's, and Edith Piaf (the latter of whom, sadly I didn't find when I was there).

3. Take a (guided) tour around the Paris Opera House.
My love for The Phantom of the Opera soared - be sure to visit box number 5 to see the plaque which notes that this is the Phantom's box.  The guided tour is interesting, full of little facts and creates a picture of what it was like when the Opera was first opened in 1875 - the aristocrats swanning around in their finery, into the magnificent halls, up the stairs. Indeed, the building both inside and outside is spectacular and it well worth a visit, and the show definitely begins before the auditorium...

4. Visit the Marais in Paris, and especially the Jewish quarter - it's such a lovely walk, and definitely gives you a more intimate feel of Paris,. The little cobbled streets are lined with boutiques, shops, cafes, with old shop fronts and it is full of the hustle and bustle of daily life - definitely not one to miss.

Traaa...la...lalalala - music

I confess, I am not particularly into music. Not that I don't like it, I just never really give much time to it - I can't listen to voices singing whilst I work (if you want good instrumental pieces I have a shed load), meaning my overall knowledge of general music (old and new) is fairly limited. Sorry! (In my defence, when I am at home I substitute listening to music to other home-y activities reading, writing, watching films, baking etc.)

However whilst writing my blog, I have started listening to music, so I wanted to share some of these (judge me as you will) - think of it as my blogging playlist...

-The Lumineers (particularly like Stubborn Love)
-The Cults - Go Outside (it's fabby fab fab, and the music video with Dave Franco is beautiful, a mon avis)
-Daughter - Landfill, Candles, Youth
-Billie Holiday (she and the crackly recordings transport me to 1920s New York)
-Amanda Seyfried - Little House
-The Killers - everything and anything, they're my all time favourite
-Lana Del Rey
-Of Monsters and Men - King and Lionheart

As per, if I think of anymore (and I will, probably), I'll add 'em!

Happy listening and happy weekend folks!

Love Letters

Yes, I thought it was time to jump on the band wagon and write something about the big ol' 'Valentine's Day'.  

I was thinking about the past, and how Valentine's Day is arguably not the same as it was; it's just not as romantic to receive a love 'email' instead of a love letter. But I feel that it's rare that people send letters nowadays (unless it's a bill or a spot of advertising with a 'personal' touch), and I confess there is a big part of me that wishes I had been alive before the internet had taken over. I mean, do people ever send letters S.W.A.L.K? Do people even have a special pen that they always use when writing to their favourite people? Do people even have letter writing paper?

To each of these questions, I would sadly answer 'no'.

So, on hypothetical terms, I was thinking about the ultimate letters that a person could receive. Who would you like to receive a love letter from?

And if we're talking hypothetically, then there are no limits - so, James Dean, Marlon Brando, Che Guevara, Heath Ledger just dash a letter off my way right now. I mean, there are plenty of living people who I would welcome a love letter off too - any woman who would reject a love letter off Ryan Gosling is a fool (I joke, naturally there is no accounting for all tastes).

But anyway, even if this years' Valentine's is going to be as dry as an old prune, with you sitting at home watching some mediocre rom-com wishing you were in the film, not watching it (and crying your eyes out), with only your Ben & Jerry's ice-cream for company, take comfort in the fact that there are many people in the world, who would have written you a love letter, had they been alive right now, or had the internet not made us all apathetic towards writing love letters on special writing paper, specially for you, their special person. Plus, a girl can dream, and I think my hypothetical letters would beat any other letters.

Anyway, my point, in some roundabout way is: don't dishearten (no pun intended) - perhaps, just perhaps someone will prove me wrong, and there will be a letter waiting for you in the post room tonight, that is heading right for your door tomorrow morning.

Stately Homes!

I love a bit of history, and recently (ish) I went to some good ol' stately homes. This, for me, is one of the points about England, about what it is to be 'British' - the heritage, learning about real people in the past, the grandeur and nostalgia of the good old days, and the sadness that comes with how they don't make 'em like they used to.

So here is a short snippet - Alexandra's guide to some (2) stately homes...

 

-Rushton Hall-

-Kedleston Hall-

I went to these over last summer and a bit afterwards. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes you can 'feel' the history there. Plus it's like being on a film set, like something out of 'Pride and Prejudice', or 'The Duchess' - the latter, incidentally, is not only one of my favourite films (as is P&P), but was also filmed at Kedleston Hall (if you've seen it, it's the scene in the round room, where Georgiana is given her children's letters). It will come as no surprise from my animated way of typing about this, that one of my all time favourite places, in the whole world, ever, is a stately home...Blenheim Palace.

Welcome to my world! 

Photos: I took these, copyrighted Alexandra Butler, thanks.

T G I Friday!

So after a week that felt, much like all the other weeks, to drag on (and on and on), the beautiful day of 'Friday' is finally here!

What is so great about Friday?
1. Staying up late, with no regrets as Saturday roles in (unless you do something on a Saturday morning, sorry)
2. You're allowed, as your end of the week treat, to eat what you like. Throughout the week we attempt to resist the cake, the creamy coffees, or hot chocolate...well, Friday is the exception (and yes, you will probably undo all your week's resistance, but who cares?! It's Friday!)
3. That feeling not only of relaxation, but (hopefully) anticipation for what promises to be a good weekend...

So I was thinking, what other 'feelings' such as the 'Friday feeling' are there?

-Well there is that 'Christmassy' feeling - you know, the tree's up, mince pies are bought, yule tide made (if you do that sort of thing) and Bing Crosby is casually playing in the background.

-That 'going-on-holiday' feeling. I think that is basically 'excitement' but I find it starts building as you're booking the holiday, packing, taxi-ing to the airport, feeling like a right diva in your holiday gear (even though it's 5am, it's still dark, and you feel a bit sick from not having had breakfast - but lo! this can be rectified by a fry up breakfast in the airport)... For me, the anticipation is part of the holiday experience.

Hm..what other feelings of this kind are there?

Well, if any more come to me, as always I'll add them to here. But for now, have a jolly good weekend folks!

A day in the life of...

I was thinking, on this rather windy, wet, occasionally snowy day, what it would be like to have another person's life. Now, I don't mean a celebrity's life, I mean a fictional character's, and I started considering, who, for a day, I would want to be.

Of course, there are just so many books (many many of which I have neither read, nor heard of), so I am working from my own limited knowledge, but I came up with a sort of shortlist, of character's lives I would like to have for a day (an exciting, eventful day that is, not the day where they stayed in and watched TV or the equivalent in their world)...

-Harry Potter. He is a wizard. And the boy who lived. All round protector, hero, survivor, popular character (minus the few who hate him - I am referring here to He Who Must Not Be Named, the handful of Death Eaters, the Malfoys etc. But other than this, everyone loves Harry). Plus he goes/went (depending on which book you want to look at) to Hogwarts. I therefore conclude that there is little that is not great about Mr. H. J. Potter. (N.B. He is, incidentally, not all-time my favourite character in the books - my heart belongs to Sirius Black)

-Bilbo Baggins (From 'The Hobbit'/'The Lord of the Rings'). Adventurer, Hobbit, lives in the Shire (I SO want to live there), friends of dwarves, men, elves...owner of magic ring that prolongs life and makes one invisible (I'll skip over its corrupting powers, its evil and the potentiality of death associated with it)

-Mary Boleyn ('The Other Boleyn Girl') - her life may be quite awful in some parts, not to mention her awful sister (no offence Anne), but a day in the Tudor court? Yes please. Meeting Henry VIII (from afar)? Yes. Going to Hever Castle? Yes. Huge, extravagant jousts/parties/balls? Right on. Surrounded by men (probably in tights) prancing around and writing poems for you? Ok, well maybe not that bit, but you get my drift.

-Nick Carraway ('The Great Gatsby') friends with, Mr Gatsby, but turns out better in the end (if you've read it, you'll know what I mean), big parties, admittedly less swarve that Gatz but more genuine, less fixated with the past, lives in New York etc.

I know there are more, but times up (need to go and sort out my baked potato in the oven) - I'll add more when more come to me...

Travel

I probably made a mistake not selecting a particular topic to write about on this blog - instead I chose A LOT. So (I keep using that word) I am trying to keep all the saucers spinning (if that's a good metaphor to use), by writing about something else (other than films and an introduction).

Travel...

I have traveled to a few places, and I do think I have been lucky to visit some places that I have visited (as in I appreciate where I have been and what I have done) but there is still much left to see and discover. I feel a bit greedy in that sense, I just want to see all the little corners of the world. And people watch as the stroll by, whether it be by boat on the Urubamba River, or watch them stroll by the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, with cute Parisian elegance, or watch the cyclists rush through the streets on Hanoi...

I have an idea of some places I would like to go, and my list is nowhere near exhaustive, but here are 5 places I want to visit in the near future (in no particular order)...

1. Laos, and (if I was a millionaire) go for a few days on the Orient Express, seeing the sites, and then hop off to stay with the real folk of the country, perhaps in a home stay

2. Venice - town(?) or city(?) or land mass upon the water. Either way, take me there!

3. Brazil, for the parties, the cities, the carnivals

4. New York. Need I say more? (And also Chicago, I have heard a lot but never seen with my own wee eyes)

5. Turkey - especially Istanbul - East meets West, the buzz, the atmosphere (I am big into atmosphere)

There are many more, but that is just a flavor of the bigger list that I want to tackle. They are quite far ranging, stretching continents and cultures. Yes please!

Hard Work

Ok, so I am still new to blogging, and I can't say that I am picking up quite how it all works (I am fairly awful with technology), so I thought I would just start writing - which is why I set it up in the first place.

I wrote in my first post that I would write about films, which I think will be my predominant focus. What is it about a film/film that makes them so great? Why have they become so influential?

I think, at the heart of it, there lies human's love of stories. My prehistoric knowledge is quite poor, but I know they used to tell each other stories in between wearing furred loin cloths and hunting mammoths. And films have evolved from that - filling in the gaps of ordinary people's lives. At least, that's how I see them.

So I saw 'Lincoln' at the cinema a week or so ago. You have to hand it to Spielberg, that man is amazing. Regardless of whether a person likes his films or not, there is something about the cinematography that makes his films so wonderful to watch. There is a scene in the film (no worries, this is not a spoiler) in Lincoln's office, when he and his politco friend (William Seward I believe) are smoking their fat old cigars, and there are plumes of smoke rising in the background. It's so atmospheric.

I sound like a geek/boring, but it's little things like that which make a film visually brilliant. I can list other directors who do that too - Joe Wright, for example, or Terrence Malick.

At any rate, it's just interesting to think: what actually is it that makes a good film? Likewise with acting, you can't pinpoint exactly what is so good about a performance, and yet it just is. I suppose we all search to be good at something, and be at standard where people can't work out what it is that makes that something so good. I suppose the only ingredient that is definitely needed is hard work.

Post Number 1

I have been meaning to set up a blog for some time now, and I have finally gotten around to it. I think the first thing to clarify is the title - why 'in spoken'? It came to me the other day (sort of an epiphany...but not particularly profound), and it's the opposite to out spoken (as you may have guessed). You see, I am not particularly out spoken, so this blog is unlikely to have cutting edge articles gunning for an argument. My posts, as 'in spoken' tries to suggest, will be thoughtful, honest, and hopefully interesting (otherwise stop reading now...)!

I will write about anything and everything (sort of), but my starting base is films, books, art, music, travel, life - the usual kind. Enjoy!