The word 'cornucopia' has rather been spoiled for me ever since I watched the film, 'The Hunger Games.' (I read all three books in the series first, of course, because that is the correct way of things - book first, film second.) If you aren't familiar with the story, it's basically a desperate and miserable dystopian slog aimed at the teen market involving themes of poverty, societal division, murder, torture and fighting, literally, for your life. Not my cup of tea at all, really, but I felt obliged to read the trilogy when it came out because it was the 'trendy' thing purported to have the power to engage secondary school pupils with reading, and it was my job to be familiar with the oeuvre. I suppose 'The Hunger Games' is akin to the 'Watership Down' of my youth. Only less rabbits. And more misery. And, in my opinion, not as well written.
At one point in the first film, the two dozen child/teen representatives of the various Districts which divide the world of PanAm (i.e post-apocalyptic USA) are forced to race towards an ENORMOUS cornucopia horn in the centre of a field in order to grab whatever survival kit they could for themselves without getting themselves murdered by one of their fellow competitors along the way. This thing...
It's all a bit desperate, and actually, probably thanks to the cinematic techniques used, made me gasp when I first saw it in action. Certainly not the cornucopia that resided in my imagination until that point. Which was this...
...a benign lady sat amongst bucolic loveliness, giving a flirty flash of boobage and feeding her chubby cherubs from a never-ending supply of fruit and veg from an antique horn thingy. Look - even the sunshine has a smiley face!
Anyway, I've gone on a bit of a ramble this morning, but there is a point - today is a veritable cornucopia of National Days. See? A long winded link, but a link nonetheless and if you are feeling miserable, go and watch 'The Hunger Games.' It'll cheer you up enormously when you see that life could be worse. I should be a counsellor...
Take your pick then, from the following celebrations:
1) All or Nothing Day - well, that leaves the form of celebration really wide open, doesn't it? You could properly tailor that to fit your all or nothing needs. I'm not feeling especially all or nothing today, so I'll pass.
2) Coffee Milkshake Day - this obviously relies on you liking both coffee and milkshake. I'm only interested in coffee if it is partnered with walnuts in a cake. I don't like milkshakes because I can't cope with the stodge both physically and aesthetically. Coffee + milkshake is an abomination.
3) Bagelfest Day - I used to be a big fan of bagels, especially the cinnamon and raisin ones. But by the time you've added butter they make a sizeable hole in one's daily calorie requirements, AND they make your jaw ache eating them, so I've left them in my past in favour of a lighter alternative, the toasted tea cake.
4) System Administrator Day - 'nuff said. Move on...
5) Talk in an Elevator Day - not happening for me, firstly because I am home today Being A Writer and shall be negotiating stairs only, and secondly, it's 'lift' not 'elevator.'
6) Get Gnarly Day - now, this has potential. The definition of 'gnarly' is 'difficult, dangerous and challenging,' all of which I have been guilty of across the years, but not necessarily all at the same time. I think in order to claim true gnarliness one has to be difficult, dangerous and challenging simultaneously, don't you? Yes? I am feeling none of these today. I am, however, feeling slightly narky because Doctor Andy tried to give Flora Bijou Mybug some malty medicine last night to help with her fur ball problem, especially as we have a new bedroom carpet and fur balls, I've discovered, contain a lot of acidic discolouration properties. And I've just noticed there is a considerable amount of malty medicine on the tablecloth where Flora rejected it by violently flicking her paw upon which the malty medicine had been placed. I hope it doesn't stain.
7) Finally, it is National Aunt and Uncle Day. From my previous roll call of cousins you will likely guess I have several aunts and uncles. My uncles are either dead, mad or suffer verbal diarrhoea. I'm not in contact with any of my uncles either in real time or through the veil, as they say. (But yay! I can still spell diarrhoea without looking in the dictionary!!)
However, this very morning I received a letter from my Aged and Much Respected Auntie Pollie and it made me laugh out loud at least 5 times! I shan't tell you how old Auntie Pollie is (77) because she'll smack my legs, but she is the BEST of aunties. She gardens, she bakes, she makes game pies for everyone at Christmas. She is brave, wise and determined, has a brilliant sense of humour and been a source of great 'listening ear' for me many times. She also sends incredible rude birthday cards. Sort of 'brace yourself before you open the envelope' rude.
So that's the National Day I'll be celebrating today! In honour and with love to Auntie Pollie.
At one point in the first film, the two dozen child/teen representatives of the various Districts which divide the world of PanAm (i.e post-apocalyptic USA) are forced to race towards an ENORMOUS cornucopia horn in the centre of a field in order to grab whatever survival kit they could for themselves without getting themselves murdered by one of their fellow competitors along the way. This thing...
It's all a bit desperate, and actually, probably thanks to the cinematic techniques used, made me gasp when I first saw it in action. Certainly not the cornucopia that resided in my imagination until that point. Which was this...
...a benign lady sat amongst bucolic loveliness, giving a flirty flash of boobage and feeding her chubby cherubs from a never-ending supply of fruit and veg from an antique horn thingy. Look - even the sunshine has a smiley face!
Anyway, I've gone on a bit of a ramble this morning, but there is a point - today is a veritable cornucopia of National Days. See? A long winded link, but a link nonetheless and if you are feeling miserable, go and watch 'The Hunger Games.' It'll cheer you up enormously when you see that life could be worse. I should be a counsellor...
Take your pick then, from the following celebrations:
1) All or Nothing Day - well, that leaves the form of celebration really wide open, doesn't it? You could properly tailor that to fit your all or nothing needs. I'm not feeling especially all or nothing today, so I'll pass.
2) Coffee Milkshake Day - this obviously relies on you liking both coffee and milkshake. I'm only interested in coffee if it is partnered with walnuts in a cake. I don't like milkshakes because I can't cope with the stodge both physically and aesthetically. Coffee + milkshake is an abomination.
3) Bagelfest Day - I used to be a big fan of bagels, especially the cinnamon and raisin ones. But by the time you've added butter they make a sizeable hole in one's daily calorie requirements, AND they make your jaw ache eating them, so I've left them in my past in favour of a lighter alternative, the toasted tea cake.
4) System Administrator Day - 'nuff said. Move on...
5) Talk in an Elevator Day - not happening for me, firstly because I am home today Being A Writer and shall be negotiating stairs only, and secondly, it's 'lift' not 'elevator.'
6) Get Gnarly Day - now, this has potential. The definition of 'gnarly' is 'difficult, dangerous and challenging,' all of which I have been guilty of across the years, but not necessarily all at the same time. I think in order to claim true gnarliness one has to be difficult, dangerous and challenging simultaneously, don't you? Yes? I am feeling none of these today. I am, however, feeling slightly narky because Doctor Andy tried to give Flora Bijou Mybug some malty medicine last night to help with her fur ball problem, especially as we have a new bedroom carpet and fur balls, I've discovered, contain a lot of acidic discolouration properties. And I've just noticed there is a considerable amount of malty medicine on the tablecloth where Flora rejected it by violently flicking her paw upon which the malty medicine had been placed. I hope it doesn't stain.
7) Finally, it is National Aunt and Uncle Day. From my previous roll call of cousins you will likely guess I have several aunts and uncles. My uncles are either dead, mad or suffer verbal diarrhoea. I'm not in contact with any of my uncles either in real time or through the veil, as they say. (But yay! I can still spell diarrhoea without looking in the dictionary!!)
However, this very morning I received a letter from my Aged and Much Respected Auntie Pollie and it made me laugh out loud at least 5 times! I shan't tell you how old Auntie Pollie is (77) because she'll smack my legs, but she is the BEST of aunties. She gardens, she bakes, she makes game pies for everyone at Christmas. She is brave, wise and determined, has a brilliant sense of humour and been a source of great 'listening ear' for me many times. She also sends incredible rude birthday cards. Sort of 'brace yourself before you open the envelope' rude.
So that's the National Day I'll be celebrating today! In honour and with love to Auntie Pollie.
Comments
I aspire to be like your aunt Pollie, it will be cakes in my case rather than game pies but I do my best to corrupt my nieces and nephews and subvert their parents' influence, in a genteel way. And I do almost have the same name! (No, not my moniker for blog posts, Olly! )