Once again, no time to blog, so here's a backdated article from Pugwash News Issue 17 (Oct 08) to keep you entertained. But I'd be remiss in my duty if I didn't put a plug out for the new website which I also write for: http://unbored.co.uk/ - managed by the inimitable Jack Clarkson who graduated last year! Check it out guys, and hopefully I'll resume normal programming soon!
As Copy Editor for UPSU student media, my job is to “red pen” – yes, it’s a verb - our website and magazine, as well as this fine publication. I have the task of translating Pugwash into English, finding every bit of missing or superfluous punctuation, and trying to make sure that not only is everything spelled correctly, but that it makes sense too. Before you brand me a complete nerd, let me explain that this is actually a legitimate job and that we’re everywhere in the world of publishing.
(Let me also iterate that I am very far from perfect, so please don’t email me nitpick-ly pointing out the few mistakes I’m sure I let slip. I’m only human, and you should see the text before I get my hands on it!)
Now, most people have a basic grasp of the English language, but stumble on all the different rules and refinements of it. After all, it is recognisably the most difficult and confusing language in the world. However, in this day and age, especially at University level, it is unacceptable (to my mind anyways) to not possess the ability to at least form coherent sentences.
I aim to use this space in Pugwash News to educate you about the proper use and eccentricities of the English language.
So, having explained myself, and probably having put half of you off before you’ve even got to the point of this article, let me introduce this week’s pet peeve: the misuse of the word “literally”.
This is a word that you never really think about using, yet seems to come up an awful lot in everyday conversation and is often seen gracing the public media. However, like the word “bastard”, its original meaning seems to have become skewed - either that or people just like using words that sound fancy without having any real idea what they are really saying.
To clarify, the word “literally” is defined as “using or interpreting words in their most basic sense”. Medusa in the old legends literally turned people to stone. It’s not a simile or a metaphor; she looked at them and they actually physically changed to stone.
So, if you are “literally dying with laughter” or if it is “literally a case of sink or swim”, you should be in the process of killing yourself with hilarity or standing in the middle of a large pond. You can be figuratively dying of laugher or find yourself in a scenario where you will either succeed or fail, but to be literally doing either would be a feat in itself.
So, the next time you tell someone your head is "literally about to explode", stop and think what you’re saying.
It may seem like I'm being a bit anal about all of this, but the point of language is being able to express yourself clearly and eloquently. English is the most beautiful and expressive language in the universe, and I hate to see it being used and abused and misunderstood. (And, like Frasier Crane, I don’t do this to be popular...)
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Up Review
No time to blog properly today, but I didn’t want you few dedicated readers to feel neglected, so here’s a review of “Up” that I wrote for Issue 31 of Pugwash News:
Disney-Pixar films are something that I always anticipate highly, with the first trailers a year or more in advance showing great promise and inspiring speculation; and most of them live up to the gradual hype that surrounds them. I’ve seen every one in the cinema - no waiting apathetically for the DVD release here. So, when I went to see Wall-E with my sister and the teaser for Up was played, we both knew we couldn’t wait to see it. Her first visit to Portsmouth last weekend was a perfect opportunity to hit the cinema, pig out on popcorn, and see what all the fuss was about.
And I liked it. It was hilarious. But it didn’t quite meet my expectations. Firstly, it failed to inspire me visually as much as, for example, Cars or Wall-E had done in the past. Granted, it was the first time I’d seen it so I was focussing on the story, but the characters were blocky and awkwardly designed and the backgrounds were bog standard. The animation is clever, detailed and pretty, but it’s very obviously a cartoon, and it’s not stunning - at least not on the surface to the untrained eye. Pixar can do better, and I don’t know why they didn’t.
As for the story - well that didn’t meet my high standards either if I’m honest. Maybe it’s because I really couldn’t get past the illogical physics of the whole thing (an old man flies his house to South America by attaching it to thousands of helium balloons, and then spends the rest of the film dragging it along behind him...) Or maybe it was the fact that they had typical ‘bad guy’ dogs of a Rottweiler, a Doberman and a Bulldog, which is a massive pet peeve of mine (pardon the pun) and that bothered me every time they appeared. But for whatever reason, I couldn’t get as behind the story or the writing as much as I would have liked to. It started out promisingly, seemingly building to a spectacular climax, then it sort of, well, deflated.
This is the production company that brought us the likes of Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and Dory; but while Russell was endearingly chubby and eager and Carl was curmudgeonly and adventurous, I just couldn’t love them. They were funny and served their purpose, but I won’t be running to MacDonald’s for the free cuddly toy in the happy meal, if you know what I mean. (And I was astonished at just how fit a seemingly very elderly character was at times!) Meanwhile, the daft multi-coloured bird was amusing, but I couldn’t relate to why everyone made such a big effort to protect him.
The one exception to all this negativity is Dug, the literal shaggy dog character, who made the film for me. Whichever geniuses wrote his dialogue and animated his movements both got it spot on perfect in my humble opinion. He IS a Golden Retriever; a bit dim but well meaning, keen in every single thing he does, bouncy, bright and brave and totally devoted to making his masters happy. He’s the best canine character I’ve seen on the screen since Pongo and Shadow, and the people responsible clearly did their research and spent a lot of time around dogs while developing him. If only they were aware of the distance between small town USA and the heart of South America, and just how many balloons it would actually take to lift a house...
Don’t get me wrong - it’s a good film. It’s got an interesting plot, side-splitting humour both clever and slapstick-y and a heart warming depiction of an old man trying to finally live his dreams. If it were Dreamworks I would be giving it rave reviews. But I expect certain things from the Pixar studios, and I didn’t get them. I’m disappointed, and am now waiting for Toy Story 3...
Disney-Pixar films are something that I always anticipate highly, with the first trailers a year or more in advance showing great promise and inspiring speculation; and most of them live up to the gradual hype that surrounds them. I’ve seen every one in the cinema - no waiting apathetically for the DVD release here. So, when I went to see Wall-E with my sister and the teaser for Up was played, we both knew we couldn’t wait to see it. Her first visit to Portsmouth last weekend was a perfect opportunity to hit the cinema, pig out on popcorn, and see what all the fuss was about.
And I liked it. It was hilarious. But it didn’t quite meet my expectations. Firstly, it failed to inspire me visually as much as, for example, Cars or Wall-E had done in the past. Granted, it was the first time I’d seen it so I was focussing on the story, but the characters were blocky and awkwardly designed and the backgrounds were bog standard. The animation is clever, detailed and pretty, but it’s very obviously a cartoon, and it’s not stunning - at least not on the surface to the untrained eye. Pixar can do better, and I don’t know why they didn’t.
As for the story - well that didn’t meet my high standards either if I’m honest. Maybe it’s because I really couldn’t get past the illogical physics of the whole thing (an old man flies his house to South America by attaching it to thousands of helium balloons, and then spends the rest of the film dragging it along behind him...) Or maybe it was the fact that they had typical ‘bad guy’ dogs of a Rottweiler, a Doberman and a Bulldog, which is a massive pet peeve of mine (pardon the pun) and that bothered me every time they appeared. But for whatever reason, I couldn’t get as behind the story or the writing as much as I would have liked to. It started out promisingly, seemingly building to a spectacular climax, then it sort of, well, deflated.
This is the production company that brought us the likes of Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and Dory; but while Russell was endearingly chubby and eager and Carl was curmudgeonly and adventurous, I just couldn’t love them. They were funny and served their purpose, but I won’t be running to MacDonald’s for the free cuddly toy in the happy meal, if you know what I mean. (And I was astonished at just how fit a seemingly very elderly character was at times!) Meanwhile, the daft multi-coloured bird was amusing, but I couldn’t relate to why everyone made such a big effort to protect him.
The one exception to all this negativity is Dug, the literal shaggy dog character, who made the film for me. Whichever geniuses wrote his dialogue and animated his movements both got it spot on perfect in my humble opinion. He IS a Golden Retriever; a bit dim but well meaning, keen in every single thing he does, bouncy, bright and brave and totally devoted to making his masters happy. He’s the best canine character I’ve seen on the screen since Pongo and Shadow, and the people responsible clearly did their research and spent a lot of time around dogs while developing him. If only they were aware of the distance between small town USA and the heart of South America, and just how many balloons it would actually take to lift a house...
Don’t get me wrong - it’s a good film. It’s got an interesting plot, side-splitting humour both clever and slapstick-y and a heart warming depiction of an old man trying to finally live his dreams. If it were Dreamworks I would be giving it rave reviews. But I expect certain things from the Pixar studios, and I didn’t get them. I’m disappointed, and am now waiting for Toy Story 3...
Friday, 9 October 2009
Still alive, honest...
Wow, I have managed to go almost a whole month without blogging! I can only, once again, apologise for this and justify it by giving you a very brief rundown of what has been filling my time instead – perhaps you will forgive me once you realise that I literally have not had a spare second to bash out a post!
For the end of September it was mostly money making that kept me busy – the aforementioned eBay and Amazon sales, working the Debenhams call centre helpline for another week or so and spending four days registering folk at the university. There was also finishing up of the Pompey Guide, Pompey Ranger training, and preparations for Freshers’ Fayre. I had a few days where I indulged an awful mood and a massive bout of self pity over various issues; everything and nothing really, and it’s all mostly blown over now, apart from my dissertation issues which are another rant for another day! I also realised that I have had Marmalade and Tango (my invincible goldfish) for a whole year now, which is sort of impressive in a way; generally my gilled pets don’t last much longer than a few months.
And I finally bit the bullet and sat down and figured out this year’s budget. It’s not bad actually, but I will have very little “fun money”, so do try and talk me out of any purchases I try and make in your company! On the other hand, my lovely grandmother sent me a large cheque which I am planning to put in my ISA for emergencies only, which surely means I can buy as many DVD box sets as I like, since I’ll have something set aside to cover the bills, right...
So far the beginning of October has been, as to be expected at a university, very hectic. Freshers’ Fayre, my little sister starting uni, a visit from my parents, my own registration and induction process, Pompey Ranger-ing, friends, the first issue of Pugwash of the year and the first week of term have all eaten my days, and now it’s the 9th and I have no idea how it happened! This last fortnight has also brought a very interesting development in my personal life, which has thus far been nothing but an amazing thing, but I shan’t divulge the details here. Let’s just say that I’m enjoying it, and I hope it continues.
In the next few days, Claire is coming to visit, I’m going to see “Up” (hurrah!), and I have two uni assignments to be working on and a novel to read (already). Whew!
So I shall end this update post and go do some of it. Hopefully I’ll be back before November this time – hope all of you are well and thriving this season as I am!
For the end of September it was mostly money making that kept me busy – the aforementioned eBay and Amazon sales, working the Debenhams call centre helpline for another week or so and spending four days registering folk at the university. There was also finishing up of the Pompey Guide, Pompey Ranger training, and preparations for Freshers’ Fayre. I had a few days where I indulged an awful mood and a massive bout of self pity over various issues; everything and nothing really, and it’s all mostly blown over now, apart from my dissertation issues which are another rant for another day! I also realised that I have had Marmalade and Tango (my invincible goldfish) for a whole year now, which is sort of impressive in a way; generally my gilled pets don’t last much longer than a few months.
And I finally bit the bullet and sat down and figured out this year’s budget. It’s not bad actually, but I will have very little “fun money”, so do try and talk me out of any purchases I try and make in your company! On the other hand, my lovely grandmother sent me a large cheque which I am planning to put in my ISA for emergencies only, which surely means I can buy as many DVD box sets as I like, since I’ll have something set aside to cover the bills, right...
So far the beginning of October has been, as to be expected at a university, very hectic. Freshers’ Fayre, my little sister starting uni, a visit from my parents, my own registration and induction process, Pompey Ranger-ing, friends, the first issue of Pugwash of the year and the first week of term have all eaten my days, and now it’s the 9th and I have no idea how it happened! This last fortnight has also brought a very interesting development in my personal life, which has thus far been nothing but an amazing thing, but I shan’t divulge the details here. Let’s just say that I’m enjoying it, and I hope it continues.
In the next few days, Claire is coming to visit, I’m going to see “Up” (hurrah!), and I have two uni assignments to be working on and a novel to read (already). Whew!
So I shall end this update post and go do some of it. Hopefully I’ll be back before November this time – hope all of you are well and thriving this season as I am!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
