For quite some time now John and I have been watching this weird Japanese Cartoon called Bleach. We got the first disk from the library. We both found Bleach to be quite strange, but rather entertaining. John got the second disk from the library, and we found that not only did we find Bleach strange, but that we both felt drawn to it and wanted to continue the story. Then we discovered that the library had no more discs of Bleach, even though there are currently ten DVD's and a lot more episodes. (Apparently the Japanese love Bleach too). After a couple of weeks of no Bleach John joined netflix. He did this solely to get more Bleach episodes. So twice a month for the last 3 months we have been enjoying Bleach. Last night we watched the ninth disc. There is only one more Bleach disc available and after that we have to wait until July for disc 11. If we weren't so devoted we would have given Bleach up because the language is bad, it is bloody and violent, and there is an occasionally immodest character. But we are hooked and do not feel like it is bad enough to give up the entertainment. We have so far only wasted 36x20minutes of time on Bleach. Yet, we hope to waste more. When we finish watching Bleach John and I have confessed that we both still have scenes going through our heads, or we are thinking about the jokes, or the theme music. Sometimes I even dream about Bleach. I can't exactly say what I like so much about this animae cartoon, and I am sure I would not like it if it was not animated. I do love that the main character loses his temper and shouts a lot. He insults other characters in such a funny way. I love that he bleeds and almost loses every battle, but then always wins and his healed within a single episode. I like the other characters quite well too and the way they play off of each other. I like the nerdy guy who can fight well and sew even better, and this huge guy named Chad that never gets hurt. I like that none of the characters look much alike, but the total affect of the animation is amazing. I just like Bleach a lot. I also really enjoy the cheesey high school drama that I disdain in everything else I have ever seen and read. Bleach just makes cheesey high school drama funny in a weird way. I love Bleach.
I spent exactly one week annoying my husband and my children to read Wuthering Heights whenever I had a chance. That meant that most nights last week we did not have dinner until 8pm. So I was definitely a bad mom. I promised John that I would take one whole week off from reading to make up for it. But, like Bleach, I found myself involved to a large degree in this novel. I could not go to sleep easily because I could not stop thinking about and pondering over Wuthering Heights. My dreams, even after I had finished the novel, have been all about Wuthering Heights. I have a perfect picture in my head of what each character looks like, what the landscape looks like, and what their houses and skies and the moors looked like. I could picture every flower and cliff described in the book. I felt more like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book. I don't think I could ever watch a movie version of Wuthering Heights, because it would destroy my personal images. A few people have asked me if it is a good book, and I have to say no. Wuthering Heights will not make a better person out of anyone. It was not virtuous expect in that it was a very well written, involved and interesting story. Mostly, Wuthering Heights seemed to be about mental illness, before much was known about mental illness. It involved the sufferings of the mentally ill as well as how the mentally ill made others to suffer. I found it to be a rather intense and sad story that ended well. I have to say that I really love the writing style and imaginings of both Bronte sisters. Here is a sentence that I thought was just beautifully written, like the rest of the book: "She bounded before me, and returned to my side, and was off again like a young greyhound; and, at first, I found plenty of entertainment of listening to the larks far and near; and enjoying the sweet, warm sunshine; and watching her, my pet, and my delight, with her golden ringlets flying close behind, and her bright cheek, as soft and pure in its bloom, as a wild rose, and her eyes radiant with cloudless pleasure." Ahh, if only I could write so beautifully. Alas, now I am to go one whole week without reading as penance for being too involved in a single activity last week. But at least we will have dinner before 8pm.
4 comments:
That doesn't make you a bad mom. I do the same thing when I get in a book!!! Mike will often hide my book for an hour or two so I'll pay attention to him....So silly! You'd think he was a 2 year old starving for attention. He HATES it when I get involved in a book. Dinner might have been at 8, but at least you got to it! :)
You are so funny! I have never really read a book on my own since we got married--since I left college actually. I always had to read in school and I really enjoyed most of the books I read. Now it's just something I don't make time for. Now, watching something entertaining with my husband each night--I can relate to that! I have been thinking that I would like to start reading though--in my new backyard, while the kids play. I love your descriptions and honesty, you are hilarious!
we had dinner at 10 last night. And that is not a rare occurrance. And that dinner was mac and cheese. Maybe I'm a bad mom. But I don't think so. I just hate cooking. I also made cookies afterward. That was a yummy treat.
I have always wanted to read wuthering heights and then seen how small the print was and then i didn't want to read it anymore. you make me curious. perhaps i shall give it a chance despite the size of the print.
tiny print says mary is never going to read this book. we had dinner at 9:00 tonight, and in my mind, i thought we sitting down near eight-ish. i once asked at the wic clinic (those mandatory nutrition classes) whether eating dinner late--even at 8:00 or 8:30 on a school night was unhealthy, the nutritionist said no. It is my own opinion that those who eat between 5and6 each night MUST have a secret...a secret maid, or a secret caterer, or a secret bank account, or something secret, that enables them to perform this extraordinary feat evening after evening (night after night for my house, but we don't have to describe the feat at my house, because it's a late dinner--at night, not during the evening--so it doesn't matter what we call it, because there is no feat being performed at my house in the evening besides realizing that every normal family in the nation is sitting down to dinner right now, and perhaps I had better think of something to fix my family...perhaps eating a chocolate bar would ease the process along, and checking my email, and let's get those dishes out of my way so I can actually function in my kitchen, and that's done, but it's now about when others are putting their children into the bathtub, and so am I because my kid just peed all over the floor, and so I am right along with everyone else, except their dinners are digesting and as we move into "night" I finally decide to make such-and-such "tonight" because "evening" ended a very long time ago...). Anyway, I believe that it is actually much more healthy to eat late as a family, than to eat "on time" without everyone there. PLUS it does children so much good to see immersion in print happening, literally, right in their very own home.
Post a Comment