Day 3: A Favorite Book

The Inimitable Jeeves
by P.G. Wodehouse

Ah, Bertie Wooster and his brilliant butler, Jeeves. What can I say? I have a weakness for British humor. If you do not like British humor, don’t go near this book. A lighthearted read that is quirky and has plenty of random plot twists. Jeeves is the epitome butler and, in my opinion, one of the most memorable literary characters ever created. The book might be compared to an unpolished gem – by this I mean that it seems hastily and/or haphazardly written, but remains delightful. Most of the people are satires or caricatures of reality. Jeeves is elegant, impeccable, very brainy, and indispensable in a pinch. Bertie is a rather common and naïve man who also tends toward bad taste in fashion. Full of British slang and customs, laughable characters, and awkward predicaments.

This book is a charming waste of time and I enjoyed it very much. To any who wondered, P.G. stands for Pelham Grenville.

Day two: A Favorite Movie

"The Princess Bride"

It’s quirky, and the romance comes across sarcastic (that’s usually a must for me).

The characters include: a Spaniard (Inigo Montoya), who has dedicated his life to revenge and swordplay; Wesley, who is annoyingly idealistic but knows some cool tricks and has a high tolerance for torture; a giant, who is charming in an almost childish way; and a lovely girl named Buttercup, who is not particularly bright or useful in a pinch.

It also includes cool creatures such as the shrieking eels and R.O.U.S.’s (rodents of unusual size). Plus, there’s the interesting torture equipment that looks archaic enough, but not particularly convincing. Or my favorite character, the ridiculous man who says every “r” like a “w,” something that lent a particular lack of solemnity to the wedding ceremony. I like that Miracle Max randomly starts talking about how perky MLT (mutton, lettuce, and tomato) is. Then there are the other quirks, such as the man with six fingers, the albino with the funny voice, and the use of a wheelbarrow and holocaust cloak.

What the movie lacks in quality and/or reality, I will excuse because it doesn’t seem meant to be taken seriously. The combination of sarcasm, absurd characters, and light-hearted plot make it seriously entertaining to watch on occasion. I do think Wesley quite ugly, but it is irrelevant to the entertainment value.

Favorite quotations:

Fezzik: “Why are you wearing a mask? Were you burned with acid or something?”

Vizzini: “No more rhymes now, I mean it!”
Fezzik: “Anybody want a peanut?”

Inigo: “You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you.”
Westley: “You seem a decent fellow…I hate to die.”

30 Days

i formulated this idea because another blog i follow did the 30-day blog challenge a while ago. Some of them are profound; all should be interesting.

Day One: a favorite song

Don’t laugh. I like it because it reminds me of friends, New Year’s, festivity, and David Copperfield, and also because I’m not entirely sure what a “richt-gude willie waught” is. Sounds like an inebriating beverage to me.

Listen to a favorite version of mine here: http://abmp3.com/download/7600648-auld-lang-syne.html. It's relientK, but it's acappella. Assuming the link is correct. I'll check it later. Hey, I'm at the library with no headphones.

lyrics:

“Auld Lang Syne”
(Robert Burns)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days o’ lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne;
We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne.

And here’s a hand, my trusty fere
And gie’s a hand o’ thine;
We’ll tak’ a richt-gude willie waught
For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne;
We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne.