Sunday 28 July 2013

From Paradise to the Wild... (well Zoo)

Summer holidays are what we wait all year for. They are built up, get you though end of year exams and as soon as the sun starts burning your un-creamed shoulders you know its time to get the sunglasses out and brave the bikini.
Fruit tastes fresher, love seems more likely and it suddenly seems completely natural to drink Pimms and wine before midday.



The one thing I rediscover every summer, besides the fact that despite my best efforts I will always become a lobster before a golden goddess, is my love of books and how much I have neglected reading for pleasure. In my defense this is usually because I have more than enough reading to do in my degree (History, for those who don't know), but I always have a stockpile of books I have accumulated over the year from various charity shops and amazon orders, which have been tempting me from the bottom of my bookcase.

So this year so far readings have included ;

Far from the Maddening Crowd - By Thomas Hardy (makes you believe that true love will always be the end result even in the most ordinary and rural of locations)

Moll Flanders - By Daniel Defoe (Inspires every women to have faith in herself and confront situations with strength and initiative while still allowing her to fall in love and exploit her femininity)

The Beautiful and the Damned - By F.Scott Fitzgerald (makes you pity the spoilt brats of the world and men who have to deal with needy girlfriends)

Just Kids- By Patti Smith (Makes you want to become a New York Bohemian in the 60's even if that means living on the bread line and in a scratty downtown apartment... (ok so maybe i'd struggle) but look how cool she looks!!)


and This Side of Paradise - By F.Scott Fitzgerald

For this book I wrote a short synopsis because I really really do recommend it to anyone who feels inadequate or morbidly average.
 It inspired me to never stop trying to be better because eventually you will end up accepting yourself when you realize that your best isn't judged against the world it, it is an internal acknowledgement that being the 'best' isn't a goal worth having, being 'brilliant' is.
It reminded me of a motto an ex-headmistress told us in one assembly and while we pretended we didn't care and took the mick out of the sentimentality and hypocraty of  it all it is still the voice in my head when I feel useless or stressed out; ' strive for excellence, not perfection'.

If you haven't already stopped reading and are interested in reading it this is my interpretation of what the book is about. (If you're bored already we're off to the zoo next :D)

Amory Blaine, the protagonist, is constantly searching for validation and himself. His upbringing with an intelligent extravagant mother sets the stage for an adolescent who has an ambition for greatness. At first this is attempted through trying to present himself as a ‘slick’; a type of gentleman with specified characteristics and the antithesis of the’ big man’. This non-conformist theme is a repeated throughout his life but it takes experience and social encounters to allow him to form a coherent philosophy to live by. At Princeton, he engages in literature and the works of the great theorists expanding him mind rather than focusing on academic excellence, which he neglects. In hindsight this was the most useful education he could have gained from collage. While his wealthier peers continue in the pursuit of personality, Amory, with the guidance of his mother’s friend, seeks to become a personage; more that an external projection of greatness and honour, but the ability to nurture and understand ones intellect so that he becomes remembered for indispensability rather than admired for perceived greatness.
After involvement in the war and loss of his family’s fortune, he is forced to confront fully the ideals which crystallised in his Princeton years. In the atmosphere of Socialism, this emerged after the fighting has ceased, he becomes even more introverted and inclined to question conservative values and seek alternatives.
The novel ends with Amory realising that he must break away from ‘spiritual marriage’ and enter the labyrinth in order to join the ranks of the great thinkers and radicals who he so greatly admires. While he acknowledges that he will be selfish, as human nature dictates, but he will have to understand and transcend this in order to progress rather than solely focusing on it as those who conform are prone to do so. The last line is his proclamation that he knows himself, and while he, by no means, is fully enlightened, he has achieved a state of personage which will allow him to go through the rest of his life in search of fulfilment.
He had to go inside himself to be able to exude the image he has always strived to project. It couldn’t be faked by materialist and shallow personality.

So this has been quite a serious post....
Therfore for some light entertainment, to make up for nerding out, we went to the ZOO!!!
 Meet Steph (Partner in Crime)...
 And Christopher (Pronounced Christoffoouurrr)...

They-re in LUUURRVVVVV....

... 
 Sleepy Lion (Lazy f***er)

 Just chillin...
 Little monster tore up the rails on the top of Steph's car... 
in the monkey's defense Chris did put a fruit pastille on the roof...

Attempt at a smile?...
 If this Rhino needs to go his mate will NOT be impressed....
  White with Black stripes or Black with white stripes?
 If you're given a mask you HAVE to wear it.... also the queue for face-paints was ridiculous!

 This was Biffo <3 dogs="" like="" of="" p="" re="" sea="" the="" they="">


 Off to our paradise.... 



 COCKTAIL TIME <3 p="">


 Peace and Love x