A perfect afternoon on the sofa

I love this photo of Gwyneth Paltrow from one of my favourite movies A View From The Top. I watched it (again) yesterday. It’s just so silly and funny, but at the same time really motivational, AND it includes scenes of Paris. Not to mention Gwyneth’s character is made over during the movie from tacky to chic. Le sigh. No wonder I adore this movie.

I wrote this quote down while watching; it spoke to me (in Candice Bergen’s voice, with a twangy Texan accent):

‘No matter where you’re from, no matter who people think you are, you can be whatever you want, but you gotta start right now. Right this second in fact’.

Candice is Gwyneth's mentor in the movie, a former flight attendant who has retired and written a book. Watching the movie I was thinking to myself, I would really like to read that book. Shame I can't order it from the library.

After watching the movie I am motivated to do better in all aspects of my life - at work, in my slimming efforts, being a good person. The list goes on. I love it when movies do that.

Stories

I’ve been 'being’ lately. Not spending so much time on the computer and only doing what I have to around the house (which seems to take up much of my two days off work per week anyway, even without added decluttering). I’ve been immersing myself in stories – mostly books, but a bit of tv too. Sometimes you just need to do that.

One of life’s greatest pleasures is a good story. I remember loving books as a child – Doghouse for Sale, The Rabbit’s Wedding, Pippi Longstocking, The Bobbsey Twins, Little House on the Prairie and many more. For a while (late teens, and my twenties) I thought I was above stories and declared I only read non-fiction. The good times I denied myself!

Nowadays I read plenty of non-fiction (and it’s not all French-themed) but always have a fiction book on the go. I am reading Emily Giffin’s latest ‘Heart of the Matter’ which is such an enjoyable read. She has written four books before this one. When I came across the first one by her I immediately ordered the following three from the library. She is a very talented ‘real’ chick-lit writer and you really want to know what happens next with the characters.

On a square eyes note, my husband and I are watching the first series of Boston Legal on DVD, since we only came to it in the last couple of series. Every episode is a great story (or stories) and the writing is so clever.

I have also begun viewing the tv series after the mini-series The Starter Wife with Debra Messing. I read the book by Gigi Levangie Grazer initially, then the mini-series and now the tv series. It’s recorded on our hard drive dvd recorder so I’ve got a few up my sleeve. I hardly have any time for it but have committed to two episodes per week, at lunchtime on my day off.

It’s so enjoyable how stories get into your mind and your psyche, and you remember the characters almost as real people. And going back to favourite stories is like visiting an old friend. It’s incredible the power of words strung together in a certain order.

One day I hope to publish a story of my own. It’s been brewing for years. I really admire Kristi for getting going and actually writing the thing.

One of my favourite simple pleasures is reading a book before I go to sleep. Because I have done it for so long, even if I’m really, really tired I have to read at least one page or I can’t fall to sleep.

What are your absolute all-time favourite books to read?