Blog and the City

I recently finished reading the latest installment of the Bridget Jones books (one book became two, two became three, and now 30-something Bridgie has tipped 50), and I have to say...I'm not sure what to think. Call it my sharper eye for detail; my more editorial view of books; my inner critic who combs the words on every page of every book I read wondering what, exactly, is the driving force behind the author's success––but I was a bit disappointed. 

I found it a bit one dimensional and flat, not really a character I could engage with. I wanted more––out of the writing, out of the character. Out of the plot-line. Overall, it was superficial and unsatisfying. And I know I'm probably going to get nailed to the wall for saying all this––after all, our dear Ms. Jones is supposed to be like the Everywoman, right? But most of the time, I just wanted to smack her.

Hopefully, we won't be treated to a third movie version of the book; but if one does happen to come to fruition, I sincerely hope it improves the book. Slamming the series, however, is not the intent of this post...rather, I'm ruminating on the aging of characters we have all long known and loved. The resurrection, I suppose you might call it, of those fictional heroines we all thought long retired from the page. 

Take, for example, Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City. I love, love, love the series. The TV version made me a huge SJP fan, when I previously was not. But the writers did such a wonderful job capturing Carrie and her cohorts, and the actors had obvious chemistry. It was pure magic. And, as unrealistic as many things may be (ahem, Jimmy Choos and Manolos on a writer's budget???), I still loved it. I related to aspects of each lady, but most of all, I felt a kinship with Carrie. She's off-beat, she's got her own very distinct style, she's a writer, and she carries a torch for a man named Big.  

When last we saw Carrie, she and Big were happily married, Samantha was happily single (again), Charlotte had two wee ones, and Miranda was being Miranda. 'Nuff said. They were all braving the steady march of time and rocking it. So the question lies...now that even Carrie's character is staring down the barrel at 50, will we revisit the foursome, now older?

And will these older characters have embraced the advances of technology, as Bridget Jones has? Bridge now has a Twitter feed and Facebook page, though hasn't yet taken up the blogosphere with her strange ramblings. 

If Carrie & co. do, once again grace us with their presence, will they blog and Tweet? Or will Carrie maintain her staunch practices as a luddite? I, personally, find it endearing. And another thing that makes her relatable. And even though I have a Facebook page; a blog; and a Twitter feed of my own, I do it because I need to be able to connect with people who might, I hope, one day help me see my dream fully realized. That this single-gal with a writing dream will make it as successfully as Carrie has.  So I write and post, not to inform the world of such minutiae as what I ate for breakfast, but to reach out into my universal community; and perhaps, become someone's Carrie or Bridget. Someone people want to see more of and read more of. Someone who makes other women feel a kinship.

Maybe one day, I'll be able to afford some Manolos of my own.