1. I've come to the understanding that I really like making lists. I would've been a great monk...er...nun if I'd lived in the middle ages ( Read more... )

I haven't looked at the picture samples, so they may not be work safe, but I had to post a link to Japanese LoTR doujins, which I didn't know existed until today ( Read more... )

Stephen King has this to say of Tolkien:

I think novelists come in two types, and that includes the sort of fledgling novelist I was by 1970. Those who are bound for the more literary or "serious" side of the job examine every possible subject in the light of this question: What would writing this sort of story mean to me? Those whose destiny (or ( Read more... )

I've finished my dissertation, so tell me if you'd like to read it, and I'll send it to you (as a pdf). It feels so liberating to have it finished.

It was 43 degrees today ( Read more... )

Because my brother now claims this is his favourite book, I had to read it to see what his fuss is all about. Now that I'm finished, I need to tabulate all the blatant rip-offs Christopher Paolini has used in the book (and Eragon too). These mostly come in the names, for as any reader of fantasy can tell you, a good name is the basis of a good ( Read more... )

Yes, I'm back in sunny (41 degrees) CA. For a while I was at my Grandma's taking care of her house (which was an easy job) and writing my dissertation. She (obviously) doesn't have very good internet, so I couldn't update this. Then, I stayed at a friend's house and discovered I am allergic to cats. Now, I have finished a draft of my dissertation ( ( Read more... )

Yesterday the train was on time for the first time ever! I got into Oxford, and almost couldn't get down Hollywell Street as there were the perennial animal rights protesters surrounded by scads of foot and mounted police (one horse nearly crushed me because it got spooked by something-perhaps the virulent chanting). I managed to squeek past, meet ( Read more... )