This that and that other thing.

[shadowkat]

1. Went hunting for new snowboots or weather boots online - specifically LL Bean, they were either out of stock or not in my size. (I have a difficult size to fit - 11. This may be why I despise shoe hunting, although I know people who have difficult sizes to fit who adore shopping for shoes and clothes. I personally think I'd despise it regardless.)

2. Am thisclose to giving up on Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I'm sorry, this novel defies logic. And my desire to mock it is getting the better of me.


Example:

Nathan (the night-time caregiver): Will is burning with fever, how could you not have noticed?
Lou: I noticed, I just didn't know what to do.
Nathan: Give him antibotics. [Look even I know that.]
Lou: How would I know that? I gave him a percocelmet (pain meds) [Seriously, you gave him oxycodeine? Okaay.]
Nathan: That's like giving him an M&M [Not exactly. Last time I checked M&M's don't make you dopey and give you an ulcer.]
Lou: I didn't know.
Nathan: It's in the manual.
[Okay, so now Will is a machine, complete with his own manual. Good to know.]

Mrs. Traynor (Will's Mother): Will tried to kill himself...Lou is here to keep him from doing it again. [Okay, so you hired an aimless, somewhat ditzy, wet-behind-the-ears, uneducated, former barrista to ensure your son didn't try to kill himself and could find something to live for? Ignoring of course the fact that everything has to be done for him and he needs constant care - and Lou is left alone with him, with no one else around??? Even Lou is bewildered by this.]

I get what the writer is trying for here - she's doing a what-if tale, what-if you suddenly found yourself taking care of a wealthy, incredibly attractive, somewhat churlish, quadripeligic who wanted to die? What would you do? Would you help him die? And how would that change your life?

Which is an interesting premise - but so far, badly executed. None of the characters outside of possibly Lou is developed. And all fall heavily into cardboard cliches. Also I think it would have worked better - if Lou were a little less Bridget Jones and a wee bit more Hermoine or even Rose Tyler. And the dumb-working class gal cliche is getting old. As is the smart but self-absorbed and nasty rich guy/gal cliche.

What blows my mind is the number of Good Reads and Amazon reviewers who think this is beautifully written. It reads like a Bridget Jones' poor decrepit cousin and drags in places (they stated it was a page turner, it is most definitely NOT a page-turner). Poetic it's not. Granted I'm reading Margaret Atwood at night, which frankly is more gripping. Heck, The Countess Conspiracy was more poetic. Also had much better character development.

I've read two, no make that three, historical romances who dealt with similar situations to Me Before You (except after Sue...sorry, that keeps popping into my head for some reason) far better. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale is to date the best of the bunch, mainly because the heroine at least had training in care-giving and nursing, also both the hero and heroine were well-developed, and multifaceted. I'd recommend that book over this one. Yes, it's more "romantic" but it also doesn't defy logic, has well-rounded and complex characters, isn't cliche, or filled with empty platitudes, and doesn't feel like a Lifetime Movie of the Week or a bad Julia Roberts film (it vaguely reminds me of a film that she did back in the 1990s.)

3.) I'm falling into the winter doldrums. Tired of snow, rain, ice, and cold temperatures (although admittedly they aren't as bad here as they are in the midwest and northern midwest states...who are beginning to consider 20 F degrees shorts weather.)

And I'm definitely addicted to green apples dipped in cinnamon/lemon juice then in fresh ground almond butter. I look forward to it after dinner.

4) Half watching the Winter Olympics - which oddly have started various events prior to the Opening Ceremonies. I'm wondering if that's because of the fact that a lot of people are boycotting the Olympics? Admittedly for a good reason - Russia is homophobic. The problem with "hating" things, is you have to deal with people "hating" you back. Hate breeds hate.
Sort of a vicious circle. Why we don't get this, I don't know.

Regarding the Russia boycott? Not to be left out, our esteemed mayor, Bill De Blasio (the new one), is boycotting the St. Patrick's Day Parade for not permitting "gays" to participate. The Parade organizers disagree - they are perfectly willing to allow gays to participate, just with the caveat that they celebrate St. Patricks Day and not make it about gay rights. They do have a point - it is "The St. Patrick's Day Parade". Although I always thought it was more about getting shit-faced (drunk) than honoring St. Patrick, who at the moment no one is certain existed.

Eh I gave up on the Olympics and jumped to The Crazy Ones. [Sarah Michelle Gellar-Prince is not aging well. (okay it may be the lighting, also HD not flattering). She looks older than Alyson Hannigan (who is aging very well), James Marsters, David Boreanze and Charisma Carpenter. And she's five-ten years younger. Actually Nick Brendan and SMG have not aged well.] Every time I look up - I hear "Why Not Charmin" and I'm thinking okay..we're talking about toilet paper?

5) One of the drawbacks of The Kindle or E-Reader is it tends to require recharging, and far more frequently if you are idiotic enough to leave the wireless connection on. This happened to me today on the train. I'm reading reading reading...then suddenly get a warning notice:

"Your battery is dangerously low - you must recharge immediately. To extend reading life, turn off the wireless connection."

Oops. I left the wireless on. Thought I turned that off. And dang it - I can't recharge until I get home. So without a book for the rest of the commute. See...this is why print books, paperbacks and hardcovers, will never go out of fashion. They don't shut off in the middle of a page due to low batteries.

Comments

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

In the last five or six Olympics that I remember, there are always a few events that start before the Opening Ceremonies, and some that end after it. This is a function of very tight scheduling at some of the more crowded venues. And the fact that there are a lot of early round runs for events where we usually only see the finals on TV.

[shapinglight]

Hmm, I think St Patrick's existence is a matter of historical record, actually. He's not one of these probably mythical saints like St George, or almost every saint you come across in Cornwall.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I've gotten to where I think of chargers like glasses--never go anywhere without them. But so true, there are places where it doesn't help to have a charger, like commuter trains.

[kikimay]

I have a theory about SMG. Maybe she's not aging very well, but the hair and the make-up really don't help her. I think she would look younger with a warmer shade of blond.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

So agree. She looks washed out. Had the same problem the last two seasons of Buffy.

She'd look better with a warmer blond and shorter hair. The long hair lengthens her face.

SMG's a brunette, and doesn't have the coloring for the white blond look.
I'd go darker. And use a warmer foundation.

I actually like the actress...and am somewhat sorry she hasn't done better.