Friday, June 28, 2013

re: one day

i can't remember most of the book's specifics (as in my favourite parts) now that it's been several months on, but what i do remember was that it was true how it was mentioned in the behind-the-scenes special that the movie is more of dex's point of view, whereas the book focused more on em's thoughts.

that and how reading one day reminded me of my old (currently pushed-aside) ambition of getting a fictional novel published. i mean, this aspect of em does play out in the movie but in the book we actually read her thoughts throughout her life, like how at the start she's on fire for things and wants to start revolutions (no wonder that tracy chapman song was playing in her dorm room -- it was explained in the book), then to make a difference teaching and writing, but how she starts to lose that hope and take on that negativity that comes from taking on miserable jobs that are worlds away from what one was really meant to do in this life.

i rejoiced even more so when she finally did get to publish her first fiction novel, which wasn't mentioned in the movie as actually an indirect nod to her real life (a pseudo-autobiography, or whatever it's called when one writes about essentially one's life in dramatized, exaggerated form). made me rethink my dormant-for-years ambition of becoming an author of fiction. i heard of a cousin who recently made money off of it by selling hers as an e-book, which i probably could do, except for the fact that i find writing books these days to be much like scriptwriting -- commitment heavy, with the potential to literally drive you nuts aka. to f**k with your mind. i literally felt like i was going crazy early last year when i was in the process of writing a dark comedy script. sure, i could easily write fluff but...that doesn't interest me as much as it does the heavy stuff. maybe one day when i've truly got a long stretch of nothing to do and no one to keep nagging at me, i'll pick up the pen again and run with it.

i also read with fascination about em's take on second weddings, because i've yet to attend them (but probably will, seeing how my ex-teacher said everyone eventually gets to the age where they have to start attending second weddings nowadays). she (the fictional character em) said something about how the first ones tend to be big, pompous and extravagant affairs to sort of show off, whereas the second ones tended to be quiet, unpretentious and low-profile, as if bride and groom were embarrassed to have to try again at marriage. sounds totally opposite from celebrity weddings in tabloids so we'll see (in my own life) if what she/the writer says is true... :p