2007 Wrap Up
Ah, the holiday has been positively wonderful, and vacation is always fun. I’ve been busy busy busy for the last week, as to be expected with Christmas and visiting family and friends while I’m actually in town. Christmas was good. Quiet. Didn’t quite feel like Christmas part of the time, but it was good to see everyone, and there was so much good food. Too much good food. I’m not going to want to eat any more rich or sweet foods for another month, which is all good by me.
Saw Mamma Mia! last weekend, and Sweeney Todd this week. This was my first chance to see Mamma Mia! and I positively loved it. Loved the music. (Of course - it’s ABBA after all.) It was the touring cast, and they were all fabulous. Am very much looking forward to seeing the movie in theatres when it comes out. (Did you know - the guy playing Sky in the movie is the guy who was Dakin in The History Boys? Exciting exciting!)
As for Sweeney Todd… I loved it while I was watching it. The gory bits didn’t bother me; I knew the basic story going in, I knew there was going to be plenty of blood, and I knew that it was darker than Tim Burton’s other stuff. But it left a bit of a foul taste in my mouth in the days following. I’ll probably buy the soundtrack at some point in time, but I very much doubt I’ll be able to watch the movie again.
And now, because all the cool kids are doing it, and what am I if not a jumper-on-the-bandwagon-person-thing… a slight breakdown (mostly book-related) of the past year.
Total Books Read: 70
Books by Female Authors: 45
Books by Male Authors: 29
Books by Canadian Authors: 10
Non-fiction: 7
Fantasy/Mythology/Etc: 34
YA/Childrens: 33
Books Somehow Relating to Jane Austen: 6
Books Where A Good Portion Takes Place On A Boat: 7
Top Five Favourite Books of 2007: Austenland, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, The Ladies of Grace Adieu, The Chess Machine, The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle
Plays Seen: Mamma Mia!, To Kill a Mockingbird, Twelfth Night, King Lear, Oklahoma! and The Drowsy Chaperone
Concerts Attended: Loreena McKennitt (sadly lacking in the number of concerts this year!)
Looking over that, I have to say that I want to read more non-fiction type books in the new year, as well as more books by Canadian authors. I’d also like to see more concerts this coming year as the number for this year is very small compared to previous years. Other upcoming events for 2008 include Michael Bublé concert (January), RENT (March), Caesar & Cleopatra (September), a possible (and probably unlikely) trip to PEI (September).
And that’s it. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you have a fabulous New Year!
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I’ve read a lot of lists like this one but I have to say yours is the first to list books that take place on a boat ! haha. I’m with you on hoping to read more non-fiction next year too. I only read three this year.
Nicola - Haha. Well, I wanted to include something a little different than the other lists had, and that seemed the best way. ;)
I had the same reaction to Sweeney Todd - I really enjoyed the movie (and the music is great) but felt that all the gore was really not needed. I don’t know if I could sit through it all again (and I did in fact have to close my eyes a few times)!
I am very curious about Sweeney Todd. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to see it, though. It hasn’t been released in my corner of the world yet.
It sounds like 2007 was a good reading year for you. I finally got The Ladies of Grace Adieu the other day, and I really look forward to reading it!
Like you and Nicola, I hope to read more Non-Fiction in 2008.
Stephanie - I had to close my eyes a few times too! It was a Tim Burton movie, so I kind of expected the gore, but usually his stuff has a humorous edge to it as well as being really dark. I think the lack of humor in this case really made it seem so much darker than normal.
Nymeth - I hope you get a chance to see it when it does get released there. It’s worth seeing it just for the music. and I hope you enjoy The Ladies of Grace Adieu! :)
How come PEI is unlikely now?