Metamorphis of the Phone Box

On my way to school the other day, I heard an interesting story on CBC Radio about Circulating Libraries (the topic for my class presentation that was back in October) and the announcer was talking about a new kind of library starting up in England. Upon hearing the story, I just had to Goggle it and find out more. I would just put the link on my page here, but I am lucky that what I write is displaying, so to save myself a headache I will just tell the good stuff and what I found cool.

New technology like computers, televisions, and cell phones are starting to make the old inventions that we depended on obsolete. Almost everyone and their mum have cell phones these days resulting in the phone booths of England slowly shutting down. In Somerset England, a small town who brag about their population of 800 souls have taken the famous red phone boxes which are scattered uselessly everywhere, and have made something new. The town bought the red phone box for 1£ (that is about $2ish in our money!!!) from British Telecom who are the people pulling the plugs on the boxes “by the hundreds” all over England.

One of the world’s smallest Lending libraries of about 100 books, the town in Somerset created a free library of dropped of books that can be taken and borrowed by your own leisure. It is a big success with the people of the town and it shows how a community can work together to recycle something that was once a loved and active machine, into a happily employed box with purpose again. It is quite a remarkable story that I wanted to share. BBC has some pages about this if anyone is interested.

 

                   

 

Oh yea, :) I almost forgot that I came across other things that they are turning the old phone boxes into like: art instillations, showers, public toilets, and even fish tanks!

                        

The Many Mysteries of Udolopho remaining (for I couldn’t finish in time)

               I wanted to finish this novel so much! When we got our course syllabus at the beginning of the year I was excited that this novel was included because ever since years ago when I read Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey (my favourite novel ever by the way- Jane rocks!) I have always wanted to read this. I have tried different times before only getting part way through, but without motivation I got bored and set it aside.

                I didn’t get as far as I wanted to in this insanely long novel and I am late writing in my blog as class is tomorrow (to understand why, please read proceeding blog article and you will see). I wanted to be a good girl, ahead of things and read the whole novel to be prepared for class. Sigh, naturally that didn’t happen. But at least I can comment on the parts I did read!

                Once getting into the novel, I must say that I find it an enjoyable read (and will continue reading as much as I can too). I find a lot of the details about the characters lives interesting like the greed of the wealthy but not so interesting the annoying details given about every last thing (just my opinion I’m sure). I could feel the isolation as they traveled, and the fear from the dangers surrounding them. It was not exactly a “scary” read, but I can feel some of the gothic elements there like the isolation of the dark woods, a fiddle playing ghost, fire gypsies and the fear of travelling (especially at night). I think we take it for granted that we have cars with locks keeping us safe, street sign guiding which way to go and street lights that light the way for us at night. It must have been virtually impossible for them to travel without daylight.

                I do find how woman were practically helpless and totally relied on men scary. Life can change any second, just like Emily’s, and a woman could be left alone and powerless easily. *Shudder* that I find terrifying. I knew it was true that woman could not govern their futures themselves, but by reading about Emily’s downward battle against fate put it more into perspective for me. It must have been dangerous to be born a woman. Emily did play the part of weak heroine well though. I remember laughing out loud towards the beginning of the novel when “Receiving no answer, he went to the carriage, and found her sunk on the seat in a fainting fit” (pg 38 in my book). I know it isn’t exactly hilarious, but just the image of her lying with the back of her hand across her forehead like a terrible actress trying to dramatically swoon makes me giggle.

                Just on an after- thought, I wanted to comment on how it seemed like every second word that I read was the word “twilight”. Now, that could be because Ann Radcliffe really liked that word, or because of the New Moon movie that is out and my fascination with that word shows what a totally obsessed twilight freak I am. Sigh, that is probably what it is 

 

One stressed out student part 2 / Drowning from the burden

           First, I am sorry for writing so much (I got carried away) and I know this is a blog for writing about our readings, but I would like to release some built up annoyance and vexation if I may (no one ever reads my blog anyway, so I see no problem about writing about my pain and frustration too). Back in October I wrote a blog lamenting about how stressed out I was. I touched on the subject of how my school work was getting built up and how close I was to getting a visit from the nice men in the white coats. I am close to that point again I fear. On my plate right at the moment I have about 3 novels to read which reaches over 1500 pages, I have 2 important essays to write adding up to about 20ish pages, a hard Psych test to study for (all for this Tuesday and Wednesday by the way!!), and not to mention all the organizing and cramming that is coming up for finals soon. I could hardly squeeze in 30 minutes from my reading and writing to scribble this! Please don’t think that this is a complaint about this class for (honestly) I quite like this class. True, there is a lot of reading involved (what more do you expect in a literature class), but there is a whole week in-between classes, so I can manage alright. It is all the classes I have put together that pulls me down (literally) and it is hard to get back up sometimes. 

                Some students have the art of balancing their time so well- oh, how I envy them. Some can take 6 classes, work full time, get on the dean list with straight A’s, and still have time for extra things like sports, friends, and (must be nice) dating. I am lucky to manage only 4 classes and work 3 days a week yet its hard work! I can’t remember the last time I ever went out anywhere fun (sniff) or had a day where I didn’t stress about the next thing that is screaming to be due. I feel like I work hard and I don’t really slack off. What am I to do to prosper- quit work? I was not lucky enough to have millionaires for parents to pay my University for me. If I keep my job I don’t do great in school, but if I quit my job I can’t go to school. I am stuck (unless I win the lottery! It could happen…)

                What to do when teachers expect their class to take propriety over all the others? I am paying (a lot by the way) to go to school, but all it seems to do is make my stomach constantly in knots until I can blissfully recover during the breaks of Christmas and summer. Deep down I know school does more goodness than that, but at the moment I wonder why I love school so much. Perhaps I need mediation or yoga to help get insight into my inner peaceful hippy. There have been times when I would just love to scream at the top of my lungs or punch something really hard to let off some steam (I may have anger issues lol) but that wouldn’t help my case to stay out of a mental hospital, would it?

                I am not a wimp for I try hard and I pay attention. On my essays I work for weeks re-reading it thousands of times and I spend hours studying my hardest- so why in heavens name am I not making straight A’s? Oh, how I would love to make an “A” on an essay, sigh- but that will never happen. Like an essay I have for another class that I just finished now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, nothing at all, yet something will be found to drop my mark down. I could work for months yet it is not done perfect enough for some. True, C’s and B’s are a pass and in my parents opinion a super great mark, but I just spent the last week getting finger cramps, bloodshot eyes, and missing out of some sort of normal life away from my desk, so I feel a little discouraged and tempered. I would understand if it made sense why I was losing marks for something other than a dot in the wrong place or if I did something extremely wrong, but through the writing center, peer reviews galore, and doing everything by the book, I can never win! I am not conceited but I believe my essays are pretty well written. I almost want to hug my poor papers when they come back to comfort them for they get bullied, kicked and stabbed with the red ink. They are my proud creations, my babies if you will, and they are a little part of me (it is true, no matter how weird it sounds) and I put my heart and soul into writing every one. I should be getting stabbed with red ink not my poor papers for it was I that created them! (I have personification problems too). Still, I will always be proud of them no matter the redness, blobs or scratches done especially if reasons for the harshness are not really explained or make no sense to me.

                I know this sounds like I am whining (or have serious mental problems), but if a student reads this (I doubt it) then I am sure I am not alone by disapproving how undervalued our creations are and complaining (and crying) about the amount of work that get poured on all at the same time with the feeling like one is drowning!

Among the crowd of book lovers

                  I just got back from the book reading of Michael Crummey’s novel Galore. I have gone to my share of book readings in the past but mostly for extra credit, or to do a review on the actual book reading itself. This reading will stick out among them all for I have never attended a reading where I have actually read the book before going and I found it quite an enjoyable experience. I understood what was being told and the references and passages to the book didn’t leave me trying to piece together a story in my head like a puzzle. With other readings and just 4 little experts being told, I couldn’t see the entire picture because all the other pieces were missing.

                I was very eager to get to the book reading (being one the very first to arrive), and I wanted so desperately to put a face and voice to the author whose book captured my imagination so. I think I finished this novel in a record breaking 5 days (which is extreme for me), and I just couldn’t put the novel down. I put off other reading assignments, read while standing over the stove or during commercial breaks on TV, and stayed up extremely late telling myself “just one more page, just one more page”. But alas, that one more page turned into 20. I was getting caught up in the many diverse characters and the 6 generations of families and their many stories. I could hear the waves from the sea, smell the foul smell of Judah’s skin, and feel the heartache, pain, anger, fear, despair, and love. It wasn’t a happy, upbeat tale, but it definitely capturing the imagination and senses of the readers with its honesty which made it a refreshing and agreeable read.

                Going to the reading was enjoyable because I could just sit back and enjoy the book all over again but by the telling of the author instead. It was retold and re-imagined again. I was part of the huge crowd of people that filled the lecture theatre being carried away to the small fishing village in Newfoundland. We all listened to his creation and were all swept away together. He was a confident and carefree public speaker who expressed himself as he was with no mask or staged appearance. Telling jokes and sharing details about the book and himself, he made the audience feel at ease. I just wanted to share my experience, opinion and of course excitement of the book reading that took place tonight.

I have no comment…

Last class Professor Jones said that if we miss an entry once in a while it would be no biggie, so I am going to use my “get out of jail free” card for I have really no comment on the reading that is due. Sure, I kinda understand and get the jist of the story, but not enough to confidently make an argument or take sides against someone. So like I said, I have no comment, I just got nothing.

Monstrous Mistress

               I know that it seems I begin each blog complaining about how much I detest the reading material given to us. But this time, “Anti- Pamela” I believe takes the cake. I found this the most annoying, shocking, and depressing novel we had to read about 18^th century life yet. The world of Syrena seems so miserable and foul. I found the aura dark and cold, with everyone out to rob each other’s riches.

                I do not entirely understand how this is a comparison to “Pamela” or even a parody for I find no humour. Syrena Tricksy is nothing like Pamela at all and I find it is almost an insult to her virtue, ethics and the honesty of her life. I respect and admire Pamela for the morals that I believe she really had, and it seems wrong for those to point and laugh at her goodness and say she was lying. Why is it impossible for someone to be that sincere, innocent and true? Not everyone is evil and corrupt.

                 “Anti- Pamela” reminds me of the movie “heart breakers” (with Jennifer Love Hewitt) because in both works, the mother and daughter work together as a team to catch a rich husband anyway they can by lying, cheating, and inventing creative stories about themselves. Mrs. Tricksy is a terrible woman to have brought her daughter up for the sole intention of betrayal and deception. How can they live with themselves after all the lives they wrecked and the sinful ways they lead? The greedy pair charged ahead with no thought of those many that got hurt along the way. Marriages ruined, a terminated pregnancy with no saddened thought, families divided, men bankrupt with nothing left, and even death were left in their wake. I kept asking myself, who was in the wrong? Was it the woman who lied and cheated her way into her lover’s hearts and pocketbooks, or was it the lustful men and adulterers that used the woman as objects and conquests? Or could it be Syrena’s mothers fault for creating a monster that couldn’t be stop? Syrena was addicted to betraying, seduction, and her ever array of lovers, “tho’ not yet seventeen” (168), though at the beginning of her pursuit even younger! Unimaginable and repulsive this is to me,  for when I was as young as seventeen I led a life of entirely different morals and was blessed to live safe where I didn’t have to take goals like hers. What a terrible life she led, but even more terrible is she felt like to survive she had no other choice.

                What made this a frustrating read to me, besides the wickedness of the characters, was the frustration of her ill luck and constant blunders. She constantly went from one happy high to instant low by one mistake after another. She gets so close to her prize and we think that maybe she got her riches, when we are informed that no, her lover found out her true identity and she has to start again with someone new. There was always something to happen to wreck everything for her, from letters being read by the wrong people, to vile diseases appearing at wrong times. As much as I was against her cheating, I was just hoping that she would finally marry so the story would then reach its end. She is cruel to those that are kind to her, like the old man, (I really hoped while reading that things were going to be work out for them the most), but alas it didn’t like all the others. Why couldn’t she just be honest with one man, have been herself and try not to be so money hungry, for she may have actually been happy with someone in the end?

                With all the innocent lives wrecked, men and woman wronged, the outrageous inventions and treacheries made, the last names of characters just written as letters (that got very confusing in the end), the sexual assault lie (which I am so utterly against the revolting abuse in the first place, but that she had the nerve to fake the assault for money enraged me to the extreme) and her being just plain evil and foul made this a disagreeable story to me. It just seemed to go on and on forever with her bewitching and robbing men without seeming to have a conscious within her. But in the end does she get what she deserves? I am not sure yet, but it does makes me smile that at the close of the story, she gets to feel what it is like to be on the receiving end of one that got tricked and wronged for once. Exile to the boring Wales country side isn’t exactly prisionment for life in Newgate, but it also isn’t being a wealthy mistress or wife of an estate living comfortably either. Justice pinched her just enough to hurt…

Circulating Libraries and a little Pamela

Sigh, why do professors give a truck load of work for students to do all at the same (I believe they do it on purpose- but no matter). I have been working like a mad woman this past week so much that I was beginning to forget my name- much less that I had a blog I had to write in. So, please forgive me that this is late, but better late than never.

I thankfully survived my presentation. No one threw rotten tomatoes at me or dramatically fell asleep, so I think I can call it a success. I believe I am required to say in this blog entry a little about what my presentation was about (which would be really boring for those that actually paid attention) so here is just a small mix of some of the awesome goodness of information I had   :)

• The first Circulating Library was made in 1725 by Mr. Allan Ramsey in Edinburg.
• The 2 most popular of the time were the Minerva Press and Mudie’s Library
• A Circulating Library is one “whose books can be rented or borrowed”.
• Typically held between 1500 and 3000 books (though some had thousands more like Mudie’s)
• Not everyone was thrilled with the idea of these libraries and what the provided for the public. Actually some were entirely against it.
• To join the library was expensive, but much cheaper than buying a book from a bookseller brand new. In today’s money it would close to 100 dollars to buy a book (just like our outrageous text book prices lol), but it would cost about 90 dollars to rent books for a whole year.
• The Library History Database states that in 1850 there was 5,481 Circulating Libraries recoreded
• They helped the rise of the middle class and lower class literacy rates and the reading material availbe. With the Public Library act of 1850 Circulating Libraries slowly started to become extinct but during its time, it did much to spread literacy, equality, and intelligence among its readers.

 If you like history and are interested in this topic then I found that our University library has a lot of good information (I wouldn’t bother with the public library up town on this topic for they didn’t even have books on the history of the library in general available there- I think was odd). The internet has good pictures but I felt only the books available at school have information trust worthy. There was a lot of conflicting information on the internet that just confused me. The definition book required for this class has a few good pages about the Circulating Libraries too. That is where I found the quote examples of the people that were against and towards the Circulating Libraries.

Now for my mixed thoughts on Pamela:    

I can’t believe it, but I’m really enjoying Pamela after getting into it more. Unfortunately seeing as I have all this pile of school work to do, I have been cramming to finish it. I really dispised this Mr. B completely at the beginning and was really frustrated why he just wouldn’t leave her alone. “No” means “no” man, back off! I actually hated him for the anxiety he was giving Pamela. But surprisingly I am starting to warm up to him and I don’t understand why, because I detested him so. Nothing gets me more streamed then someone forced to do things they are against. I read a bumper sticker once that states ”Hell hath no fury like a woman denied her right to choose” (its kinda stolen from Shakespeare), but I agree completely. I just wished that Pamela stopped fainting so she could kick this Mr. B where it hurts and she could show her fury in person, not just in her writing. She really needed to tell him off and it really bugs me that she didn’t! I knew this book would displease me, for I did not like the way Fantomina was treated,so I knew even before reading this book that I would not like how Pamela was treated as well. But seeing as she was not “hurt” and where I am in the novel now, he is treating her with more care, I can read with less worry for her safety. Like I said I have not finished yet and will be up all night doing so, but I hope that all turns out well for them. I have mixed feelings towards this book- frustrated at the way she acts sometimes, yet totally understand and can relate. I really want to finish- no sparknotes for this one   -

One stressed out student…

I am freaking out more than just a little. Not only do I have to finish Pamala by tommorow (which is, if I may say the most long and drawn out novel ever!), but I also have to do my presentation in front of the whole class too (eek!!) I am absolutely terrible at public speaking. Just the thought makes me ill and I think I may have a nervous break down any minute. So if I am not in class tommorow- it may because I was admitted to the psych ward. Thanks for letting me vent, and I can’t wait for Tuesday to be over, sigh    -

The many questions of Fantomina

                 I finished this story a few days ago, but I have not written in my blog because I have no idea what to say. This story has gotten me speechless. I truly find it hard to believe that Fantomina was written and published in the 18^th century for it must have been more than a little shocking to readers. I have looked at countless articles on-line trying to understand what to say about Fantomina but I got nothing, just more questions than answers. I understand what happened in Fantomina, but I just don’t know why.

                Why did she dress up as a prostitute (a career that I am sure is not appealing, no matter the time period or country), yet is stunned with the outcome? It seemed like she was so innocent she did not know what ladies of that profession did. Why did she dress as different women for a cad that did not deserve her love? She kept following him around like a little lost puppy and going back to him eagerly- but why? Was her self esteem so low that she needed the brute’s attention to feel loved and be happy?

                Why is it that this Mr. Beauplaisir gets away free as a bird (what is the male term for “slut” anyway?), yet Fantomina is left in ruin with a daughter, then sent away? Not only does he get to sleep with 4 “different” women, but he selfishly grabs whatever he wants and throws it away when he tires of it. No one questions him and his wicked actions! Where are the justice seekers and screaming feminists? Fantomina herself should be the first in line to throw rocks at him (sharp ones). She doesn’t seem to have a major problem with the fact that her lover was cheating on her many times- with herself at that! It is almost like a natural occurrence for a man’s eyes to wander after a time. For Fantomina to dress up as different ladies just so the man she loves will not wander to another is truly a dismal time to live in. True, there are wandering eyes now in our time, but it is not expected and so easily cast aside.

                 This story frustrates me very much, for I don’t know what to make of it. Like I said, I am dumbfounded trying to wrap my mind around all the “whys” in the story. I mentally wanted to shake Fantomina and explain how she could do so much better than that womaniser. Then I wanted to kick that Mr. B. good for not appreciated what he had, or could have had with Fantomina. I guess for me, I am just really angry that Mr.B’s actions were probably not frowned upon by readers, while Fantomina was probably looked at harshly with disgust and revulsion. Why is it that he can do whatever he wants while still keeping his dignity, stature, and reputation, but she loses hers?….. Sigh, but that is just my bitter opinion.

Things I learned from Crusoe

The novel Robinson Crusoe has taught me much about the 17^th Century world like geography, language, and the sailor’s dangerous way of life. But it mostly taught me that I could not last two days stranded on an island all alone. Though Robinson Crusoe is a fictional man, his character in the novel is truly amazing. To survive over 20 years alone with nothing more than his mind and determination to help him survive, kept me reading through the novel eager to hear his story. True Crusoe got very lucky to have a ship full of tools and weapons waiting for him on the bay and many goats roaming the island to eat, they are just objects by themselves and it was the creative ways he used those objects that kept him alive and strong.    

There are many reasons why I could not live like Crusoe on an empty island if I had to. I am certain that the need for human company would slowly drain me of my life. I would turn mad and start talking to anything around me, desperate for companionship. It brings to my mind Tom Hanks and his “friend” Wilson from the movie Cast Away, and how he grabbed a hold to anything to love and speak with. Though Crusoe was depressed for want of friends, he did not go insane or dispirited, but smartly trained a parrot to talk instead. Granted, Poll the parrot was not human, I think it gave Crusoe just the right amount of contact with something that speaks to keep his voice and sanity alive until Friday joined him.    

Though maddening to some readers, I actually enjoyed all the little “annoying” details given about the objects Crusoe made and how he did it. It made the story real to me and I was amazed at the inventive ways he came up with tools and clothing. The novel would not have felt the same had the narrator just said he rode out in a boat, for I would have wondered how Crusoe got the boat. I have no skill or vision myself to create any objects like Crusoe did. His umbrella, pots, baskets, and candles are inspired inventions. I am definitely not a gardener either and am certain I would starve for even house plants die under my care and the thought of killing animals by my own hand is beyond repulsive. It does not help my case that I’m allergic or hate most food, especially the foul things Crusoe consumed. It has been said though, that when people are desperate enough for food they would do anything to get it, no matter how distasteful. That is even shown in the novel when the starving sailors attacked the kitchen door violently, wanting something to eat. But I am 100% certain though that I could not murder poor animals like Crusoe did and I would starve first.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I found this novel an interesting read that opened my eyes to many things. Though Crusoe seemed like a sucker for punishment who didn’t learn his lesson to stay away from the sea, he was also a strong, smart, and determined survivor. I know from reading this novel that if ever I get stranded on an island I would be the person that crawls into the corner of a cave and withers away for I am not that emotionally strong to make it. True, I could live without most of the luxuries in life that I take for granted and spoil me like TV, cars, and electricity, but the need for running water, medicine, and edible food would break me. I do wonder how long society would last if we all had to live like Robinson Crusoe because technology just stopped?