Sunday Morning

Articles I read in this morning's papers, (ok colour supplements).

From Here To Divinity - Tim Lott - The Sunday Times
I always enjoy (but rarely completely understand) reading articles about the Science vs. God debate. Like most of my generation, I am confused about the existance of God, I was brought up to beleive in Him, but science has tried to persuade me otherwise (Catholic schools don't teach you about The Big Bang...or contraception - what a strange bunch we must be). I admit that for the most part I no longer believe in an all-seeing, all-knowing deity, but there is nothing in His place and I'm not sure that this vacuum, this emptiness enriches me.

Michelle Obama - 'She Chose Us - Carole Cadwallr - The Observer
I love Michelle Obama. I admit it. She's a hero, a superstar, she is everything that I want to be: beautiful, intelligent, brilliant with class, verbose, erudite, and inspirational. Although it is probably too late for me, it is most definitely not too late for the young ladies of Elizabeth Garett Anderson Language College who were surprised by a visit from The First Lady this week. When discussing this article with my friend Jennifer Hodgson (an incredible young woman who has fled our shores to escape the inanity of the British press) the shine was taken off this article a little.

Of course Mrs Obama gave a fantastic speech, she is an incredible woman, why shouldn't she make an inspirational and touching speech? Should it be such a surprise that a Princeton and Harvard Law graduate should know how to speak well? I have a feeling that all the talk of her clothes and her guns (on both sides of the Atlantic) has made us forget that she is more than a first wife in lovely dresses. Regardless of whether we should be impressed by the speech itself is the effect she seemed to have on the pupils of this state school in the much maligned Islington school district (where numerous New Labour polititians have refused to school their children - not that this is not their choice).

For sixteen year old Brenda Mensah, the idea that being smart was cool was received loud and clear. I wish someone had told me that at 16. I was smart, but never cool (and I'm still not), I messed around and have squandered what potential I had on trying to keep up with my apathetic chums. I did ok, but I'm not what I could have been. I hope that Mrs Obama's words have penetrated the culture of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Language college and girl's schools all over the world. We need our young women, we need them to be more than the frankly pathetic image of feminism that pervades online blogs (yes I'm talking about you Jezebel). We need our young women to do better, to be better, especially those who have been for the most part forgotten.

Cinema's Best Kep Secret - Kelly Macdonald - Carole Cadwallr - The Observer
Another article about Kelly Macdonald being forgotten despite appearing in some of the best films of the 90s and 00s. Yawn.

This Much I Know - Damien Lewis - The Observer
Damien Lewis appears to be a self-obsessed knobber. I know that the article is about him, but yuk.

I also looked at the pictures in an article about The Return Of The Beefcake in The Observer Woman Monthly which as usual enraged me. I couldn't care less about Madonna, expensive beauty products, Scarlett Johansson's clothing and make up regimes. I'm not that sort of woman and don't know many who are. Who is this suplement for?

Oh and on a completely off topic note, how can my (soon to be ex) housemate be all about slamming doors in the middle of the night and early morning but not when having (loud completely ridiculous spanky) sex with his girlfriend in the middle of the afternoon? I have never wanted anyone out of my hair more.