my ajumma notes

I have just finished, and enjoyed, Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones. It was a book I just happened to chance upon. I'm not really into serious, modern fiction but this book-based-on-a-book had a nice cover (ha) and the blurb drew me to it because it's based on Great Expectations . There are times when you encounter a book, show, song, etc, and it somehow becomes magic that never leaves you. Great Expectations was one such book for me. I guess I could say that Mr Pip is an 'enchanting' story (at least for about half the book) but I know that when I read and studied GE I was spellbound , just like Matilda ( Mr Pip heroine) and her friends. Which is why it was painful to watch the Gwyneth Paltrow-Ethan Hawke version of it. Great literature can't be diluted, modernised and commercialised. I'm sure it will be a worthwhile experience reading GE again, as an adult. Hopefully I have will time for it ... Anyhow, it was great re-visiting Pip and company.

In its final days, this year's AO almost became a non-event for me. Of course I'm biased, having a picture of the losing finalist. Ha. It was quite telling that poor Andy Murray was not himself (again) playing against Federer in a slam final. When, Andy, when? Sigh... Many of this year's matches were nightmares. But I shall dwell on the better memories, which are: Nadal versus Murray: despite how the final score looked, some really outstanding tennis was played there (of course I'm biased). Zheng Jie and Li Na getting into the semis: L i Na is unrecognisable without her tennis attire and with her new hair. Best of all, Hit for Haiti! Serena and Federer: She was funny. And I suppose we have to thank him for coming up with the idea (notice the grudging tone?). Nadal and Djokovic: Funny and cute Andy Roddick and Kim: Cute Djokovic and Kim: Cute too It was so nice to see everyone, joking, laughing and smiling though I must confess that I thought Nadal seemed