tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55348273207674254012024-02-21T23:04:22.118+10:00Movies, Books and LifeI watch movies, I read books (and try to write them!), and live life to the fullest. I write about my journey.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-4249853179838352522014-04-25T09:05:00.001+10:002014-04-25T09:06:54.450+10:00Tracks - the story of Robyn Davidson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
(Apologies to readers for neglecting this blog!)<br />
<br />
Yesterday I went to my favourite movie theatre at Bribie Island to see "Tracks" - the story of Robyn Davidson, who trekked from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean way back in 1977. I had started to read the book some time ago, and recently found that I had a copy of it - a book bought or given to my late father, who wrote his name and the date 1985, in the front of it. The book has shown its age, with the perimeter of the pages yellowing.<br />
<br />
I remember hearing the story, or reading the press about her ventures way back in the 1980's, and was pleased to see that eventually a movie was made of this extra ordinary adventure. <br />
<br />
I marvel at her determination to complete the journey as there were many obstacles in her way. It really is an inspiration story. Indeed she had an element of luck with her as well - such an awesome journey.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RyDCfuYTX_U" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
I found the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robyn_Davidson">biography of Robyn</a> very interesting too - especially her connection with the writer Salman Rushdie. <br />
<br />
Another great Australian story with stunning photography of Australia from Alice Springs to the West.<br />
Mia Wasikowska played he role of Robyn, and Adam Driver played Rick Smolan, the photographer for National Geographic.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-16050231781638343472013-11-10T16:10:00.000+10:002013-11-10T16:10:19.350+10:00Books on China<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was wandering around Melbourne, I found a bookshop called The Book Grocer, which advertised books at $10 each. I resisted, I really did, but in the end I walked out with a bag of books, and regretted it momentarily - especially as I had to carry them around with me and they were heavy. Still, I reasoned with myself that I may not have found the shop again if I didn't buy then and there.<br />
<br />
I came across a section in the bookshop on China - so three of the books were about China. I have read one already and I am so pleased I did.<br />
<br />
Er Tai Gao wrote a "Memoir of a Chinese Labor Camp" titled "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/IN-SEARCH-HOMELAND-Tai-Gao/dp/B0046LUD4C">In Search of My Homeland</a>" which was published in 2009, by HarperCollins, New York.<br />
<br />
I spent less than two years in China as an English teacher in 2008 and 2010, and have a deep fascination with Chinese culture. It is such a complex ancient culture, and though we may have read bits and pieces abut life in China since the 1950's, it is such a vast country with many stories. <br />
<br />
Er Tai Gao (now living in the US) was a young art teacher, 22 years old in 1957 when he wrote something that offended the Chinese Communist authorities and was sent to a labor camp and lived under extra ordinary conditions until sometime in the 1990's when he was released and able to go to the US.<br />
<br />
It is a horrific tale of abuse, and details some of the extra ordinary behaviour of those in power under Chairman Mao. I found it very hard to read - (only hard to read about what he and others experienced at that time.) He certainly sounds to be an amazing man to endure all he had to suffer in the camp.<br />
<br />
Anyone interested in Chinese history would find it very enlightening.<br />
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-25531043370648796302013-11-08T09:50:00.000+10:002013-11-08T09:51:09.832+10:00Movie - About Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is a while since I have seen a movie on the big screen, so after my day went from being organised, to being chaotic I farewelled my last "guest", jumped in the car and headed to Morayfield to see a movie. I had not been to the theatre there in the huge Morayfield Shopping Complex, and arrived just in time.<br />
<br />
Strangely there were only two others in the theatre for the whole movie - quite an odd feeling really. The movie was <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s3860883.htm">About Time</a>, which I had heard good reports on, though confess to not having read a review.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/u2PUMA6nFWk" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
It was a story about a young man, who at 21 years of age, was told by his father that the men of their family had the ability to turn back time. Though unbelieving when told, he went out and discovered he indeed did have this gift and used it to find a girlfriend, with quite hilarious results, and it did end up happily ever after!<br />
<br />
I thought it was a long movie - it felt as it if it was dragging on at one point, though never, despite my fatigue did I feel like closing my eyes., and some I was annoyed by the shaking of the film, as if the camera man/woman had had a bad experience. Towards the end of the film there was quite a bit of shaky filming.<br />
<br />
All up I'd give the moving 7/10 - marked down because of the over use of the dreaded "F" word. I wonder how those who view films as some time in the future will regard this penchant for using this word so frequently. It really annoys me to hear it so many time.<br />
<br />
(There are, as always, some good movies coming up, so I plan to end the "drought" and see a movie more frequently.)<br />
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-49314452463347623122013-11-05T07:32:00.000+10:002013-11-05T07:32:07.664+10:00The Binding Chair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
(Apologies for neglecting this site for a long time......)<br />
<br />
I came by this book in a strange way. I was staying at my daughter's place, and beside the bed in the guest room is a bookshelf full of books - many of which I had read, but one stood out. Those who know me, know that I often read historical novels and biographies of Chinese people, and this one was clearly a Chinese story.<br />
<br />
I read a few lines, then spoke with my daughter. "Did she mind if I borrowed it?" <br />
<br />
Her response surprised me. "I think it is YOURS"<br />
<br />
I declared that I had never seen it - so to this day it is a mystery - where did it come from? Her daughter (13 years of age) is an avid reader, and she mentioned that she thought A would like to read it. I declared that I would return it as soon as I read it.<br />
<br />
The author <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Harrison">Kathryn Harrison</a> was not known to me - I set about to read..... I learned very early that I would probably not give it to a 13 year old to read - some of the sex scenes were a little too much for such youth and even me. I had no idea that the toe of a woman who had had her feet bound would be such an interesting sex tool!!!<br />
<br />
It did take me a while to read it - busy life, moving, etc all got in the way, but I persisted and eventually got to the last page. Phew!!! It was indeed very well written, and again, as I usually do, I learned much more about Chinese culture.<br />
<br />
I did find it very confusing as the story jumped about a fair bit - and there were numerous characters involved. Perhaps if I had been able to read it all in a short time I would not have felt so disconnected with it - but I did finish it. I do think it would make a good movie - though it is a looong story and a film would have to cut much of it out.<br />
<br />
I found this article - in fact a Reading Guide for the book - <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/author/authorExtra.aspx?isbn13=9780060934422&displayType=readingGuide">here.</a> Anyone interested in Chinese history or culture would find The Binding Chair a fascinating read.<br />
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<br />
<br />
I will look for her other books at some time, but have a huge pile of books to wade through at the moment.<br />
<br />
In Melbourne recently I discovered the <a href="http://bookgrocer.libro.com.au/books/home.do;jsessionid=DD0F41271445033D622B4F1DA64AAFC2">Book Grocer</a> in Melbourne where books are $10 each or less. I tried to resist but found it impossible so added weight to my luggage with a pile of books, and have almost completed one.<br />
<br />
I note that one can buy online from them too. How exciting.<br />
<br />
Kathryn Harrison has written a number of books - visit her website here to read about her and her work. <a href="http://www.kathrynharrison.com/">Website.</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-27205267356608418042012-06-11T08:32:00.002+10:002012-06-11T08:32:39.879+10:00Poor Treatment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I write this comment here - as it gives some idea of the way nurses are treated in distant regions. I'm talking about Western Australia here, but I suspect that nurses in many remote places are not always treated with the care they should be.<br />
<br />
Imagine this. A contract for 10 days of night duty at a remote town. Five nights on, two nights off, and five more nights on. The nurse who went to help - the country hospital was desperate - lives 350 kms away from this town, and I might add is in her late 60's. She's highly qualified and has been doing this sort of relief work for several years. Hardly inexperienced. In fact <i>extremely</i> highly qualified.<br />
<br />
After completing five grueling nights of work, she came off duty expecting to get some rest and sleep! Only to be met by officialdom requesting she move out of the accommodation, as someone else was due to arrive. What? So where was her alternate accommodation? Drive home for 350 kms? After working all night? It seems that it was somewhat a secret - certainly no one when she arrived at this outstation, that she was required to vacate for her two nights off. And have a round trip of some 700 kms between her working nights. After much argy-bargy, said nurse moved into the local caravan park. <br />
<br />
The argument is still going on - the person responsible for the contract is unavailable - it is a weekend of course, so a bit more difficult. <br />
<br />
The nurse is a good friend of mine - in fact we did our nursing training together in South Australia many years ago. She often tells me of the treatment of staff and indeed patients in small country hospitals. I find it astounding!<br />
<br />
We will see where this ends - but instead of breaking the contract and heading home and leaving them in the lurch for the lat 5 nights she was contracted to do, she is staying, reluctantly of course as she is so hurt by this, she'd rather head home. <br />
<br />
Normally she is provided with accommodation (and some of it rather challenging) for the time of the contract - from the start to the end. No other hospital has required her to drive home hundreds of kilometers on off-duty periods.<br />
<br />
Sad, but true.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-27175419510238192272012-06-05T06:21:00.003+10:002012-06-05T06:26:32.429+10:00Another Bamboo Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I bought this book for my Kindle - and loved it. It is "<b><i>Daughter of the Bamboo Forest</i></b>" by Sheng-Shih Lin. I like 'real books' but I love my Kindle too, especially when I am travelling.<br />
<br />
I will load quite a few books onto my Kindle before I set off on my round Australia adventure later this year. I find it so convenient to read on my Kindle. <br />
<br />
On Amazon this is what is said about "Daughter of the Bamboo Forest"<br />
<br />
"<i>Alone in the bamboo forest, seven-year-old Little Jade, still dressed in red silk after her father's recent wedding, wonders whether she will ever meet her real mother. DAUGHTER OF THE BAMBOO FOREST is a story set in war-torn, post-revolutionary China during the 1940s. From age seven to twelve, Little Jade longs for the attention of an opium-addicted father and clashes with a desperate, resentful stepmother. The young girl is inadvertently swept by the tides of history, encountering a plague that decimated a village, Catholic nuns in a convent school, and the fabled dragon king along the way</i>."<br />
<br />
It is quite a sad story really, about a little girl neglected by her parents, and living a life which is quite tragic really, but the reader follow Little Jade's journey which has quite amazing twists and turns.<br />
<br />
The story is based on the author's mother's story.<br />
<br />
Read about it/buy it here at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Bamboo-Forest-ebook/dp/B006V7SIA0">Amazon. </a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-64068515289685839642012-06-03T08:25:00.000+10:002012-06-05T06:09:48.136+10:00Bamboo Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was doing research for my university assignment on I found that there were a few books with 'bamboo' in the title. One "So Far from the Bamboo Grove" I found particularly interesting, as it was written by Yoko Kawshima Watkins, who relates the tale of life around the time that the Japanese lost World War II.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZCg1ipPreFsD0T0vC1HcvVZH1QBRLwc-Ydcv2G_SyaPsHDd6_hKX6TQsyS0rFiHNmUdM7zP7Ss0pgx4FRvEsouJyj-Stv8RA291_7QlrwahUD5tIXnOIeHbs9hWkLDEQeoykJsmqyr8/s1600/so-far-from-the-bamboo-grove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZCg1ipPreFsD0T0vC1HcvVZH1QBRLwc-Ydcv2G_SyaPsHDd6_hKX6TQsyS0rFiHNmUdM7zP7Ss0pgx4FRvEsouJyj-Stv8RA291_7QlrwahUD5tIXnOIeHbs9hWkLDEQeoykJsmqyr8/s1600/so-far-from-the-bamboo-grove.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Her father was a Japanese government official working in Manchuria, and Ko, her brother and sister and mother lived not far away in North Korea's Nanam. When it became clear that they had to escape, Ko, her mother and sister made their own way through North Korea to Seoul. It is a riveting story.<br />
<br />
There has been, since 2006, some dispute particularly about the planes that Yoko describes, but in the front of my copy, she explains that the story is as she can remember. <br />
<br />
The book received many awards, including The Courage of conscience Award from the Peace Abbey in Sherbourn, Massachusetts.<br />
<br />
I have thought long and hard about including the YouTube Video discrediting the author's story, as I find the whole thing offensive. Yoko does explain that she was 11 at the time, and clearly she would have been traumatised by what occurred at the time. One point that the<br />
video makes is that bamboo would not grow in that part of North Korea as it is too far from the tropical zones where bamboo thrives. Bamboo actually does very well in cooler climates, and indeed does grow in places like the UK, Germany etc, and in Beijing, which is almost on the on the same parallel.<br />
<br />
I do recommend the book, which I bought on Amazon, but I see it is available in Australia.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PWTjGI3uXPg" width="420"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-80882394698826425912012-05-12T13:45:00.000+10:002012-05-12T13:45:06.839+10:00A Little Bit of Madness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Those of my readers who know me, may recall that as a nurse I enjoyed (really) my days and nights working in psychiatry. It was a weird, weird world trying to tread lightly through some amazing situations as my ill patients walked through their strange world. I did find it fascinating - but in the end left as I felt that many of the staff were also succumbing to creating a world that was not the 'norm'. When doctors and nurses not only cross the divide between doctor/nurse and patient relationships, you know you are in weird company. I digress a little - I would have liked to stay working there but it was getting too weird for me.<br />
<br />
One of my friends who has Bipolar has written about her experiences as a patient - and I was unable to attend her launch, but did buy the book from her. And yes, she has signed it for me.<br />
<br />
I am about a third of the way through the book and I am so impressed with her writing and the openness of telling her story - warts and all. <br />
<br />
I hope to finish it in the next few days (between other big commitments), but already I am recommending it to anyone who will listen. It is called "Me and Her" - "<i>One woman's story of manic dreams and her two personas. ME - wife, mother, writer and teacher. HER - manic, psychic, healer to the living, telepathic to the dead, and she's very psychotic."</i><br />
<br />
The book is called "<b>Me and Her</b>" and the author is the delightful Karen Tyrrell.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-78219268091876457432012-05-09T08:39:00.000+10:002012-05-09T08:40:09.463+10:00Salmon Fishing in Yemen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was a long weekend here (May 5th, 6th, 7th) and I had some vague plans which fell through, so off to the movies. <br />
<br />
Bulimba is a quaint place which is old, with many shops dotted throughout the main street, and plenty of restaurants and they appeared to be doing a roaring trade as I drove in. There is a Cineplex theatre there - a very old theatre which looks a little worse for wear but is hugely popular - I think there are some 6 theatres within the old complex, and with some car parking. Luckily I found a park there - I think the last space - and headed in to the theatre.<br />
<br />
Timing was awesome, as I had only found my preferred seat and settled in when the theatre darkened and the in-house messages, ads from sponsors, and previews started.<br />
<br />
I had seen a preview of <b style="font-style: italic;">Salmon Fishing in the Yemen </b>and it seemed a strange topic, though clearly there was a romance involved. <br />
<br />
I loved the movie - and loved watching the behaviour of the bureaucrats and others as they tried to sort out the Sheik's strange request for the British government to help set up a salmon fishing program in the deserts of Yemen. Money talks of course - and it SHOUTED at all involved.<br />
<br />
One aspect that thrilled me was the photography - the scenery around the Yemen in particular was extra ordinary.There was much intrigue when the boyfriend was declared lost in Afghanistan - and that part of the story had a surprise (albeit a bit silly) ending.<br />
<br />
Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Amr Waked star. The cast is stunning.<br />
<br />
I loved the movie. <br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AGb4OT3Oiew" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
It is a MUST SEE movie.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-58765182428267996212012-04-21T08:06:00.002+10:002012-04-21T08:08:10.111+10:00A new book - So Far<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The advent and now proliferation of e-book readers is making it easier and perhaps more profitable for writers to go in this direction. <br />
<br />
It is something that I am looking a bit closer at - as I near the completion point of some of my works. <br />
<br />
A friend Thea Biesheuvel, also a member of the Society of Women Writers Qld, has had her collection of short stories published on Smashwords, a site where writers can publish their own work, and sell from that site. Brilliant idea and I am looking at it closely.<br />
<br />
Thea was born in Holland, and when she came to Australia she had little knowledge of English, but since she has gained a brilliant education and her writing is awesome.<br />
<br />
Her book called So Far, and is available here. You can download it to any e-reader, (I have a Kindle and I prefer to use this.)<br />
<br />
You can purchase the book here for $3.99 (US) Click <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/142105?ref=DiHill">here.</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRI9sfF4CxQOjhqzIkJY-Wu6fmfg_7K_0NOnh8hVuvpmbRWB5RAd23bn8qzCH690vL2i1TM7c0jWbsJ25c9Fi4lYbulKkZ7ek87PUB3xGGbpvGXaUJHrtiQzOnumNQIs3M5lnc68n9zM/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRI9sfF4CxQOjhqzIkJY-Wu6fmfg_7K_0NOnh8hVuvpmbRWB5RAd23bn8qzCH690vL2i1TM7c0jWbsJ25c9Fi4lYbulKkZ7ek87PUB3xGGbpvGXaUJHrtiQzOnumNQIs3M5lnc68n9zM/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judi Cox with Thea Biesheuvel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-42421014717240387602012-03-27T05:53:00.000+10:002012-03-27T05:53:04.395+10:00What a wonderful film - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had a busy morning and was going to do some uni work in the afternoon, but the new website has worked to refuse me entry to the material I need, and my pleas for it to be fixed have fallen on deaf ears.<br />
<br />
So I went to the movies. I am disappointed that have missed a few movies that I wanted to see - will just have to wait until they are out on DVD now (Iron Lady is one!)<br />
<br />
I really must try and go to the movies every fortnight. Then I will not miss any.<br />
<br />
I will see this one again - it was fabulous, and is really good for a great laugh. So funny! So real in a way.<br />
<br />
Loved it. Loved to see the colourful life of India and Judy Dench and Maggie Smith were fabulous in it.<br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BHc_ZTEH0VU" width="560"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-62908306856110242222012-03-18T15:46:00.001+10:002012-03-18T15:46:36.034+10:00Book about the Pilbara in WA.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have just finished reading <b><i>Lonely for my Land</i></b> by Tish Lees. I met Tish at an Author's Fair in Maroochydore, Queensland, last year, and purchased her book for my friend Bev, who is a registered nurse working in WA, and who lived and worked at Karratha. She read it with enthusiasm, and later when I visited her in WA in January, she loaned it to me to read. <br />
<br />
She certainly had an extra ordinary life living in the Pilbara at a time when it was clearly quite primitive, and she tells wonderful stories about her life there. I recommend it, especially as a gift for someone who lives in WA, or knows that region. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=theofficia073-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=192164236X&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-62379998142180457762012-03-14T06:46:00.000+10:002012-03-14T06:50:09.735+10:00I must, I must - see a Movie This Week!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been a while - but with study and travel I have not been to the movies, and I have rarely watched one on television. I MUST have some ME time, so this week I will get to the movies. I feel I have more freedom now that most of my study is behind me.<br />
<br />
While I have not seen a movie, I have continued to read and I have a couple of recommendations.<br />
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My granddaughter treasures a book "<a href="http://www.jackiefrench.com/historical.html#matilda">A Waltz for Matilda</a>" - which is a fabulous story - fiction, but much of it 'linked' with Australian history, of a little girl Matilda. A.B. Patterson's "Waltzing Matilda" forms a framework of sorts. In any case it is a brilliant story and fantastic read. <a href="http://www.jackiefrench.com/">Jackie French</a>, the author is quite a fantastic writer - and she writes good material - and I am in awe of the number books she has written.<br />
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Last year I attended an Author's Fair at Maroochydore, and purchased a book "<a href="http://www.tishlees.com.au/index.php">Lonely for My Land</a>", Tales of Karratha Station and the Nor' West, by Tish Lees. Tish was at the Fair, and I spoke with her, and I purchased the book because my good friend Toby, with whom I did my nursing training with in Mt Gambier Hospital, lived and worked at Karratha. <br />
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I gave it to her for Christmas and she read it enthusiastically, and when I went to Perth in January for her graduation from university, she loaned it to me. I am more than halfway through it - and enjoying it very much. Tish clearly had a wonderful life - but they were tough times. Karratha, which is in the Pilbara of WA was a pretty desolate place in the early 1900's, and into the war years, and so close to the action of World War II. A great read though. <br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Karratha WA 6714, Australia-20.7366148 116.8467646-20.7514648 116.8270236 -20.721764800000003 116.8665056tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-8062164671579731992012-01-29T15:11:00.000+10:002012-01-29T15:11:47.308+10:00Must See movies in 2012!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've managed to see two movies in the last week - War Horse and yesterday, We bought a Zoo. Both must see movies. <br />
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War Horse was gripping from start to finish with many twists and turns - and the graphic scenes of the carnage of World War I, was very heart wrenching. We know so many lives were lost in that horrific war, but to see it played out in that way was hard to take really. Why oh, why do we keep having violence and wars??<br />
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A great movie!!!<br />
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We Bought a Zoo was a much more family oriented movie - with with moments of heartbreak, and some audience members were seen to be sobbing into tissues. It is interesting to note that the film was based on a true story of a zoo in the UK, while the film was about a zoo in the US. Oh, well. <br />
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The real zoo is Dartmoor Zoo - you can read about it here. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_558087667"></span>Dartmoor Zoo<span id="goog_558087668"></span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-8742990669543499532012-01-29T15:07:00.003+10:002012-01-29T15:12:14.576+10:00Drought continues - at least re movies for me!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have managed to see two movies, since my last post - I am pleased to say that I saw both War Horse, and We Bought a Zoo. Both had their sad moments, but of course War Horse had the most dramatic. It was painful to watch the World War I scenes - oh, why do we have such brutal wars? Even the 'war to end all wars' didn't.<br />
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Still, I'd recommend both movies. The last movie I saw was on New Year's Day - and I've not set foot in a theatre since, but I guess it is only 29 days! I haven't read much either, but today retrieved a brilliant book from my shipping container. It has been in there since just before my trip to <a href="http://housesitdiary.blogspot.com/">Perth and Adelaide,</a> and though most of my belonging are still in the container, I did get some things that I needed for my jaunt to Bali - which is only 3 sleeps away. (Whose counting?)<br />
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I doubt that I will finish this book before I go, and I won't be taking it with me as I have two books in my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Kindle</a> that I want to read - and it is much easier travelling with a Kindle.<br />
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The book in question is "A Waltz for Matilda" by Jackie French. Many of us would recall Jackie as a zany personality on the now defunct Burke's Backyard, but she is an amazingly prolific writer. The book belongs to my granddaughter who is 11 1/2 years old, and she just loved it as I am doing.<br />
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Jackie has used the song "Walzting Matilda" based on the poem by A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson, as the inspiration for the story of young Matilda, who sets out in 1894 at 12 years of age to find her father in the midst of the shearers strike. There's a lot of historical material in it, and the gripping story takes us through life in the bush.<br />
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I do have several other books to read, and I have also decided to read one of Amanda Hocking's books, as her story is inspirational.<br />
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and I will be among the crowd I think hoping to get a seat.<br />
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The other movie I am keen to see is War Horse.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d6Ru9Y9Xwjg" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-36574181414854131792011-12-11T17:07:00.001+10:002011-12-11T17:11:47.222+10:00War Horse Puppets<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The movie War Horse is due to open in Brisbane and I look forward to seeing the movie. Meanwhile I found a show on the ABC this afternoon about puppets used to show the story. Found this video, where the puppets went to the Sandown Races.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Zwu_d0xRhdI" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-64973166877087301942011-12-05T15:28:00.000+10:002011-12-05T15:31:53.368+10:00Clever kids!!!!!<object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/og2lX1UJ6rc&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/og2lX1UJ6rc&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="420" height="315"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-51861578044530685592011-12-02T08:16:00.001+10:002011-12-02T08:23:30.617+10:00You can't burn an e-book.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I read these words somewhere on the internet and it made me smile. Once certainly can burn a 'real' book, and one can burn an e-book reader. (I wonder if any e-book reader has been destroyed by fire?) I guess one can destroy an e-book if the only copy is languishing on someone's computer and fire takes it away? However, you'd want to hope that any manuscript is safely backed up somewhere? Mmmm. Reminds me - I must do this with some of mine. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-17867362598027906662011-11-28T08:22:00.001+10:002011-11-28T08:35:22.349+10:00Sounds wonderful - but where do I go?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I read the advertisement for the film "The Orator" in Sunday's paper (yesterday), a nice ad which announced the name of the movie and in smaller letters it said "The Internationally Acclaimed First Feature Film from Samoa" "Compelling. Deeply Moving" and then it said "Exceptionally Beautiful" and then the words that have got me a little miffed. "PG NOW SHOWING"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I quickly trolled through the theatres programs and could find no mention of the movie. Grrrr. I'd love to see it but it is not showing anywhere near me - I've checked with all the theatres that I would go to and those a little further away, but no mention of the film.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I eventually discovered that it is showing in the Logan area - probably makes a lot of sense as there are a lot of Pacific Islanders living in that area.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I will have to wait..... Hopefully it will move closer to me in the next few weeks. Meanwhile I have to check with YouTube.</span><br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Uj-aOu7NVbs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And here is some info about the making of the film.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SSSbcjYIffU" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-21591762900908030122011-11-23T07:23:00.001+10:002011-11-29T15:02:01.804+10:00Papercutting Storytelling<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a small collection of paper cutting art work - it is an ancient Chinese art and is sold in many places in China, so it is no surprise that I was fascinated by this creative art that is done with a sheet of paper, a pencil, scissors or a knife.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday I discovered Beatrice Coron, who is a paper cutting artist in the US - she was born in Lyon France, and has lived in many places of the world. She makes the most extra ordinary pieces of artwork which all tell a story. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can see a video of a presentation she did - which shows the amazing ways in which her art work has been used around New York.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Click <a href="http://blog.ted.com/2011/10/28/stories-cut-from-paper-beatrice-coron-on-ted-com/">here</a> to see a 20 minute video of a talk she gave - complete with awesome coat that she wore on stage and many examples of her work.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Below is a video to show how to create very simple paper cutting works</span>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-61373419435295117692011-11-22T07:03:00.001+10:002011-11-22T09:42:20.279+10:00Peony in Love - More on Chinese Women Writers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was so enchanted with the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5534827320767425401#editor/target=post;postID=2029702400545147267">first part of the story</a> of Peony in Love, which was so wonderfully written by Lisa See - but when the story ventured to describing Peony's world in the afterlife - which certainly was very strong in Chinese life in the past, and still has some influence, I found it a little boring and considered giving up and not finishing the book. I persisted and am so glad I did. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The whole book was extra ordinary - and at the end of the book, The Author's Note explained more not only about the afterlife, but of the extraordinary women writers in early history of China. Just as in other countries around the world women were regarded as little more than chattels, mens' property and totally discouraged from writing or doing anything artistic. I can't imagine how that would be to live in such restrictions. We know that many women wrote and that women's writing groups were around hundreds and hundreds of years ago, and women wrote in secret - hence the secret women's language as Lisa See wrote about in Snowflower and the Secret Fan. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am so much a fan of Lisa See now. I look forward to reading more of her writing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It would also help so much in understanding the story of Peony in Love to have seen, or read about the famed "Peony Pavilion" written by Tang Hsien-tsu (1550 - 1616). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can read the synopsis of it <a href="http://www.chinapage.com/peony-pavilion.html">here.</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-70648155672461119342011-11-20T17:05:00.001+10:002011-11-20T17:20:19.549+10:00Another Movie about Qiu Jin<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After discovering that there was a movie made about this amazing Chinese feminist, in the last few days I find another movie also about her. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I also received an email from the couple who produced "Autumn Gem, and they have just spent two weeks in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra promoting "Autumn Gem"</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-20720007370913996202011-11-18T15:06:00.001+10:002011-11-20T17:19:46.496+10:00Chinese Feminist<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been reading about the life of famed writer Lu Xun from Shaoxing, and came across mention of Qiu Jin, also of Shaoxing who was famous as China's first feminist. She was born in 1875, had her feet bound as was the custom for women of wealthy families, but later fought against that custom. She did marry, and had two children, but left them to fight for changes in China. She was beheaded when she was about 32 years of age. I have just discovered that there has been a film made about her. I will see if I can find it somewhere.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Read more about her <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiu_Jin">here</a> and <a href="http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/qiujin.html">here</a>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think there have been two movies about Qiu Jin released recently. One is Autumn Gem, which is the one this trailer is about.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DKur9JTTKVg" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found another video too - which tells about the making of the film.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.icepn.com/tv/channels/events/local-events/2010/04/12/autumn-gem.html">Click here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5534827320767425401.post-20297024005451472672011-11-09T08:29:00.003+10:002011-12-02T08:15:59.282+10:00Peony in Love<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After seeing the movie "Snowflower and the Secret Fan" I set out to read another novel by Lisa See, "Peony in Love" - I absolutely loved the story of Peony in the first part of the book, and the tragic twist in the tale. I continued reading, but gave up as it goes into great detail of the Chinese culture of the afterlife, and I found that to be quite boring in the end. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I loved the first part of the story and recommend it. It is quite an awesome tale.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I note that it is available on Kindle now, too. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For more information and reviews on Peony in Love click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Peony-Love-Novel-Lisa-See/dp/0812975227/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320791317&sr=1-1">here</a>. </span><br />
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