FRRRRRREEEEEEEEEDDOOOOOOMMMMMMM
Mar. 8th, 2007 11:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sophieisgodFor the title to have maximum impact, you really have to shout it in a Mel Gibson kinda way. Totally implausible when the man's just had his innards ripped out, but then historical accuracy is hardly Braveheart's main concern... Stirling BRIDGE, man. The Battle of Stirling BRIDGE.
Anyway, I've been AWOL the past few days, mainly because of The Essay From Hell. It was a bit of a slog, mainly because I knew I wanted to write about sight in Whitman, and I had points to make, but I didn't have an argument as such. And it was due in at 10.45 in the morning. And I hadn't finished Portrait Of A Lady. Thankfully, at around 3.30 in the morning (yes, another all-nighter) I hit upon The Insanely Creepy Eyeball Metaphor Of Doom, so I got finished. It was actually the longest thing I've ever written, which is really quite pitiful. But me and my gay boyfriend are still cool.
The point is, no more essays until next term! Which means I basically have this week to sleep, eat, go out, read two short stories and generally relax. *sigh of deep, deep relief*
Aside from the inevitable essay crisis, the week's been pretty damn good. Both my lecturers this week were the awesome ones; the one who looks like Dr House, and the magnificently feminist James-obsessed lovely woman I had last term. Yay. I actually get realism now! And Ireland is stalking me again. Firstly, via the IRA episode of Life On Mars (AKA, In Which My TV Boyfriend Is Horrendously Xenophobic, Yet I Continue To Love Him Anyway), and then via the talk I went to yesterday about Brian Friel's play Translations.
The visiting lecturer was Tony Roche from UCD (which I was *this* close to applying to...), and he was essentially awesome in every way. I'd basically only read the play the day before because I wanted to go to the talk. Emma and I had been feeling guilty about how we've not really taken up the visiting speaker opportunities as much as we could have. We missed the Auden centenary... From now on no email from the English department shall go unread! Anyway, he was awesome, and the play is awesome (read it!).
It's about the Ordanance Survey mapping of Ireland, and its set in a small Irish-speaking community in Donegal in 1833. It basically deals with the Anglicisation of Irish place names, as well as family tensions, community loyalties, emigration and... other stuff. Liam Neeson and Stephen Rea were in the original cast!
He had some really insightful stuff to say about the responsibilities (or lack thereof)of writers when dealing with historical topics, and he had a really interesting homoeroticism theory (which Cindy completely rejected on the way home: "It was the Donnelly twins, I tell you!"). He also got really into other contemporary Irish drama, and now I have a whole reading list to get through, but that's another story. I also have to read that Seamus Heaney poem (Punishment) more closely, because it was so powerful. Suffice to say, I have to go to more of these.
It sounds really lame and geeky, but experiences like that talk, and seeing Mad Forest on Saturday, are a big part of the reason why I wanted to come to a university as good as York, and I'm glad that I'm starting to make the most of it. My dad always told me that it'd be at university where I'd find out the stuff I was interested in, and discover writers that I'd fall in love with (Whitman! sigh) and basically become the person I'll be for the rest of my life. On the subject of my dad, I think he's noticed how completely into my course I am. Since he came up the other week, and we had our big literary discussion, we've had a few more on the phone, and yesterday he left me a 5 minute long answerphone message about ideas I could work into my Whitman essay. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd already handed it in...
While I'm feeling mushy, let me just say that I feel really happy and (oh my god, am I actually this lame and pathetic? yes I am) privileged to have met some of the people that I've met here. You know who you are, you complete beasts, and I love you lots and lots. Like jelly tots. Hard. In the face.
Oh god, in that last paragraph I became everything I despise. Is *this* who I'll be for the rest of my life? I fucking hope not. Anyway, the whole Ireland stalking business has left me feeling compelled to make a list of stuff that anyone who's interested in The Troubles, or Irish history, or any of that stuff should read or see. It is mostly from the Irish point of view, so it's probably hideously biased, but whatever.
In The Name Of The Father, DVD
Directed by Jim Sheridan, starring Daniel Day-Lewis. This made me cry. A lot. So much so that I was willing to overlook the dodgy U2 track on the end credits. It basically deals with the wrongful arrest and imprisonment of the Guilford Four in 1973. There's some IRA stuff in there, and a lot about police corruption. Just... watch it. If only because DDL is a very sexy man.
Bloody Sunday (I've only been able to track down a VHS)
Directed by Paul Greengrass, starring James Nesbitt. Basically a dramatic recreation on the horrific events in Derry of Januray 30th 1972, when British Paratroopers opened fire on a civil rights march, killing 13 civilians. I won't write too much about it because I'll start ranting, so I'll just point out Tim Pigott-Smith, AKA Mr Hale, playing a complete and utter bastard. And another U2 song on the closing credits.
Michael Collins, DVD
Wirtten and directed by Neil Jordan, starring Liam Neeson as "the big fella" and Alan Rickman as De Valera (My mum met De Valera! When she was a wee small child, and he was veeeeerrry old, he was on a tour and he came to their town to see the airport! He shook hands with my grandad!). And Julia Roberts, but we don't speak of that. The accent, it is not so good. It's factually slightly wobbly, but the gist of it is pretty powerful, and Liam Neeson's always worth a watch. Plus, it deals with the creation of the Irish Free State, which is interesting to see on film, rather than just the terrorism and the fighting, and stuff...
The Crying Game, DVD
Wirtten and directed by Neil Jordan, starring Stephen Rea. Most of the interest in this centres around That Twist, but there's quite a bit of IRA stuff in the mix too. Also, Miranda Richardson, who is the coolest person ever to come out of my hometown.
Those Are Real Bullets, Aren't They?, Book
Written by Peter Pringle and Philip Jacobsen. This also deals with Bloody Sunday, and it's pretty in-depth. They've pieced together the entire day, using eyewitness accounts and interviews, and there's a lot dealing with the subsequent 'investigations' into the actions of the Paras.
A Star Called Henry, Novel
Written by Roddy Doyle. This deals with a fictional character involved in the 1916 revolution, with the Post Office Siege etc. Apart from being interesting on these grounds, it's incredibly well-written and engaging, particularly in the characterisation of Henry.
Tra la la. I also did another chapter of The Master And Margarita. Chapter Two is the trial and crucifixion of Jesus... from the POV of Pontius Pilate. This book is awesome.
Anyway, I've been AWOL the past few days, mainly because of The Essay From Hell. It was a bit of a slog, mainly because I knew I wanted to write about sight in Whitman, and I had points to make, but I didn't have an argument as such. And it was due in at 10.45 in the morning. And I hadn't finished Portrait Of A Lady. Thankfully, at around 3.30 in the morning (yes, another all-nighter) I hit upon The Insanely Creepy Eyeball Metaphor Of Doom, so I got finished. It was actually the longest thing I've ever written, which is really quite pitiful. But me and my gay boyfriend are still cool.
The point is, no more essays until next term! Which means I basically have this week to sleep, eat, go out, read two short stories and generally relax. *sigh of deep, deep relief*
Aside from the inevitable essay crisis, the week's been pretty damn good. Both my lecturers this week were the awesome ones; the one who looks like Dr House, and the magnificently feminist James-obsessed lovely woman I had last term. Yay. I actually get realism now! And Ireland is stalking me again. Firstly, via the IRA episode of Life On Mars (AKA, In Which My TV Boyfriend Is Horrendously Xenophobic, Yet I Continue To Love Him Anyway), and then via the talk I went to yesterday about Brian Friel's play Translations.
The visiting lecturer was Tony Roche from UCD (which I was *this* close to applying to...), and he was essentially awesome in every way. I'd basically only read the play the day before because I wanted to go to the talk. Emma and I had been feeling guilty about how we've not really taken up the visiting speaker opportunities as much as we could have. We missed the Auden centenary... From now on no email from the English department shall go unread! Anyway, he was awesome, and the play is awesome (read it!).
It's about the Ordanance Survey mapping of Ireland, and its set in a small Irish-speaking community in Donegal in 1833. It basically deals with the Anglicisation of Irish place names, as well as family tensions, community loyalties, emigration and... other stuff. Liam Neeson and Stephen Rea were in the original cast!
He had some really insightful stuff to say about the responsibilities (or lack thereof)of writers when dealing with historical topics, and he had a really interesting homoeroticism theory (which Cindy completely rejected on the way home: "It was the Donnelly twins, I tell you!"). He also got really into other contemporary Irish drama, and now I have a whole reading list to get through, but that's another story. I also have to read that Seamus Heaney poem (Punishment) more closely, because it was so powerful. Suffice to say, I have to go to more of these.
It sounds really lame and geeky, but experiences like that talk, and seeing Mad Forest on Saturday, are a big part of the reason why I wanted to come to a university as good as York, and I'm glad that I'm starting to make the most of it. My dad always told me that it'd be at university where I'd find out the stuff I was interested in, and discover writers that I'd fall in love with (Whitman! sigh) and basically become the person I'll be for the rest of my life. On the subject of my dad, I think he's noticed how completely into my course I am. Since he came up the other week, and we had our big literary discussion, we've had a few more on the phone, and yesterday he left me a 5 minute long answerphone message about ideas I could work into my Whitman essay. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd already handed it in...
While I'm feeling mushy, let me just say that I feel really happy and (oh my god, am I actually this lame and pathetic? yes I am) privileged to have met some of the people that I've met here. You know who you are, you complete beasts, and I love you lots and lots. Like jelly tots. Hard. In the face.
Oh god, in that last paragraph I became everything I despise. Is *this* who I'll be for the rest of my life? I fucking hope not. Anyway, the whole Ireland stalking business has left me feeling compelled to make a list of stuff that anyone who's interested in The Troubles, or Irish history, or any of that stuff should read or see. It is mostly from the Irish point of view, so it's probably hideously biased, but whatever.
In The Name Of The Father, DVD
Directed by Jim Sheridan, starring Daniel Day-Lewis. This made me cry. A lot. So much so that I was willing to overlook the dodgy U2 track on the end credits. It basically deals with the wrongful arrest and imprisonment of the Guilford Four in 1973. There's some IRA stuff in there, and a lot about police corruption. Just... watch it. If only because DDL is a very sexy man.
Bloody Sunday (I've only been able to track down a VHS)
Directed by Paul Greengrass, starring James Nesbitt. Basically a dramatic recreation on the horrific events in Derry of Januray 30th 1972, when British Paratroopers opened fire on a civil rights march, killing 13 civilians. I won't write too much about it because I'll start ranting, so I'll just point out Tim Pigott-Smith, AKA Mr Hale, playing a complete and utter bastard. And another U2 song on the closing credits.
Michael Collins, DVD
Wirtten and directed by Neil Jordan, starring Liam Neeson as "the big fella" and Alan Rickman as De Valera (My mum met De Valera! When she was a wee small child, and he was veeeeerrry old, he was on a tour and he came to their town to see the airport! He shook hands with my grandad!). And Julia Roberts, but we don't speak of that. The accent, it is not so good. It's factually slightly wobbly, but the gist of it is pretty powerful, and Liam Neeson's always worth a watch. Plus, it deals with the creation of the Irish Free State, which is interesting to see on film, rather than just the terrorism and the fighting, and stuff...
The Crying Game, DVD
Wirtten and directed by Neil Jordan, starring Stephen Rea. Most of the interest in this centres around That Twist, but there's quite a bit of IRA stuff in the mix too. Also, Miranda Richardson, who is the coolest person ever to come out of my hometown.
Those Are Real Bullets, Aren't They?, Book
Written by Peter Pringle and Philip Jacobsen. This also deals with Bloody Sunday, and it's pretty in-depth. They've pieced together the entire day, using eyewitness accounts and interviews, and there's a lot dealing with the subsequent 'investigations' into the actions of the Paras.
A Star Called Henry, Novel
Written by Roddy Doyle. This deals with a fictional character involved in the 1916 revolution, with the Post Office Siege etc. Apart from being interesting on these grounds, it's incredibly well-written and engaging, particularly in the characterisation of Henry.
Tra la la. I also did another chapter of The Master And Margarita. Chapter Two is the trial and crucifixion of Jesus... from the POV of Pontius Pilate. This book is awesome.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-03-08 12:22 pm (UTC)And don't hate yourself for being happy! It's a nice feeling sometimes. :)
Have you caught up on Heroes yet? Cause the last two episodes have been the best yet, and I've missed having someone to fangirl with. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-08 03:47 pm (UTC)I've been avoiding your journal (covering my eyes and ears and going "la la la" loudly whenever you pop up on my flist) beecause I still haven't seen it! I'm free all day now so I'm just about to start watching...