Topic: Reading
Still stuck into essays: got the first handed in on time, but going a bit more slowly with the second than I'd like. Possibly because I can't stay away from other people's blogs. EL at My Amusement Park was on a roll yesterday, with two extensive, excellent posts: 'You Know It's Bad When...' which addresses the effects of war on individual soldiers and the impact of the dominant Hollywood portrayal of soldiering as a 'frat-house' experience on how soldiers and war are perceived. 'How To Write About Film' talks about the sense of melancholy that comes with separating oneself from an experience of art, the vulnerability of the critic, and what theory can contribute to criticism. And even if those aren't entirely to your taste, go have a look around anyway, EL's approach is pretty eclectic: everything from current events to cute animal quizzes! Update: See also 'Define "Protect"' on TINO, where Linda addresses an issue I feel strongly about:
It's just mean. It's so small, looking at other happy people and thinking about how offended you are by their happiness. By their families gathering to celebrate how happy they are. It offends me, but it also saddens me enormously that anyone could look at the country where I live and think that this is what we need to be spending our time on.