I took time out last night to go and find out just what all the fuss is about when it comes to the movie Saving Mr Banks.

The trailers on TV are a pretty good indicator as to the main storyline; P.L.Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, going through the rigmarole of converting her characters into a big screen worthy entity. The beautiful thing is, this isn’t the only thing happening.

We spend a good portion of the film heading back into the very early 1900’s to when Helen Lyndon Goff (P L Travers) was a young girl and the family issues that helped fuel her creativity to write Mary Poppins.  

I found it a little surreal watching Emma Thompson playing Mrs Travers, since she was also Nanny McPhee, a movie so similar to Mary Poppins it was ridiculous.

 Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney was delightful, and I must admit I had a craving to watch A League of their Own, this morning when I woke up. I love it when he’s given a role where both the female characters and his character have a chance to butt heads and come out with everyone respected and honoured.

Ruth Wilson and Rachel Griffiths were superb choices for the Aussie women of the era.

I must admit I was a little annoyed at myself for not being armed with a packet of tissues, because they were much needed and I ended up leaving before the credits had finished rolling (red, blotchy, snotty face), despite the completely awe inspiring collection of photographs that were being shown of the people the film was about.

There were so many funny moments, and times when you’re just glad you didn’t have Mrs Travers’ sniper like temper aimed at you, that you really do not notice the time go by.

John Lee Hancock you have done a brilliant job with this cast, this crew, this script and ultimately this film.

A solid 5 out of 5 from me. Take your tissues!

Book buying with heart… even if you’re on a budget.

It’s that time of the year again, when us bibliophiles gather in the masses to pick up a bargain, fill our book shelves and do it with a clear conscience because what we spend goes to help many, many people in need.

 Information (just in case you have never been to a Lifeline Bookfest)

 It will be held in 2014 from Saturday January 18 to Monday January 27 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

 Opening Hours

Opening weekend Jan 18-19: 8:30am – 8:00pm
Monday – Friday Jan 20-24: 8:30am – 6:00pm
Closing weekend Jan 25-26: 8:30am – 8:00pm
Australia Day (Sale Day): 8:30am – 4:00pm

When you get inside

 The space has been split up into 3 sections…

High Quality – prices will be as marked

$2.50 section – as the name suggests… everything in this bit is $2.50

And the $1 section… pretty self explanatory.

 To make life a little more sensible within each section there are categories such as Science Fiction, Hardback Fiction, paperback fiction, Children’s etc. 20 categories in total.

 So take you’re granny trolley, remember to pay for the books in your hand, and have them bagged, before switching sections and keep an eye out for an absolute bargain.

 **If you are on a tight, tight budget, my tip is to take public transport, and only allow yourself to buy what you can carry.**

5 steps to Surviving your first day of High School (from a woman who did it ‘back in the day’)

In Queensland, for a few more years at least, high school begins in grade 8. The leap from primary to high school can be a culture shock you may be having nightmares about, but here are a few ways to battle the nerves and get yourself through that first day with minimal fuss.

Keep in mind, you’re a young adult now and your parents don’t need to be responsible for every aspect of your preparation any more.

#1 Dress to succeed – check the uniform policy and make sure you have everything you need (if you need socks, be sure to tell someone).  Make sure everything fits, is clean and that you’ll know where it is on the first day.

#2 Sleeping beauty- sounds clichéd, I know, but eat a healthy meal and go to bed at a reasonable hour the night before, so you can wake up and be happy to start the day.

#3 Alarming – if you have to set an alarm, be sure to place it across the other side of your room so you have to physically get up to turn it off. Oh, and give yourself plenty of time to get ready, especially if you have siblings who will be getting ready for their first day at the same time.

#4 Book ‘em Danno – unless you’ve been told otherwise, your first day will be mostly about getting a feel for the school, getting your time tables, meeting your teachers and dealing with trivial things. No matter what happens, make sure you’re prepared to do some work. Pack either a binder with loose leaf pages in it or a notebook. Oh and remember a pen that works.

 #5 Munch that Lunch – pack a lunch that will be low GI, (keeps you fuller for longer) healthy, and remember your water bottle, because an dehydrated brain has to work harder to think. You can also make this ahead of time to avoid unnecessary stress on the morning of your first day.

When all is said and done it all comes down to you. Hold your head high, act and think positively. Because what you put out there, you are sure to get back.

 Good luck!!!!

Bel’s got some suggestions for freshening up your back to school look.

Try some new hair styles for the new school year.

I have combed (ha ha) through the never ending world of YouTube to find 3 hairstyles you may not have tried, to start the new school year. **Remember** to try them out at home a few times to make sure you’re not going to be stressing on your first day.

Here’s a dressed up ponytail by Kayley Melissa that looks pretty and seems pretty easy.

Cora from vintageortacky shows us how she does a sock bun *this one won’t be so ideal if you’re going to need to wear a hat at achool*

 If you’re wanting something a little more feminine and less severe this is bubzbeauty with a twisted up do that can take only 3 minutes or so.

Have fun experimenting with how you want your hair on the first day. Oh, and be sure to share any other YouTube tutorials you love for school hairdos in the comments below.

Good Luck!!!

The book!

Okay, I get it now.  I must admit I had been ignoring The Hunger Games more out of spite for something that was causing so much hype, than anything else. Don’t I feel silly? Yup.

Suzanne Collins has created a character that is just the right balance of innocent and ball-tearing tough. Katniss is smart, sweet and determined. She’s not about to allow the powers that be to walk all over her and I can honestly say I’m finding it hard to write this when I could be moving on to book two.

With our unexplainable lust for ‘reality TV’ it is somewhat disconcerting to have the mirror placed before us to see how it must feel from the point of view of the ‘contestants’. The haves using the desperation and suffering of the have nots as entertainment. I must admit this is not one of the better human traits we seem to have acquired over the last couple of decades.

It took me ages to decide whether to read the book first or watch the film. I read first and I have a feeling I’ll be happier for the choice.

Paperback, Luxury Edition, 386 pages

Published November 5th 2012 by Scholastic Australia (first published January 1st 2008)

original title

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

ISBN

1742835759 (ISBN13: 9781742835754)

The Film!

There is no escaping the film trailers so I already had some idea of how the film would look. The Costume and Wardrobe department should be given kudos for making the world that is in the book turn out exactly what was running through my head.

Special effects were top notch and scenes with CGI were seamless in their inclusion.

Casting is spot on and any alterations to the story line and plot points aren’t enough to detract from the whole picture. I think perhaps having Suzanne Collins on the writing team helped keep everything authentic.

Even my hubby watched along with me (and he’s a tough one to impress)

As for which I liked more?

The book is a longer adventure with details you may miss in the film, however if you’re short on time and just want to know what on earth everyone is raving about, grab the DVD. There are even a few editions with some seriously cool extras and behind the scenes tid bits.

Both get a 5 out of 5 for me.