Yep, that's right. I started out doing the 12, but I had a really nasty headache, and didn't feel up to carrying it through. Nothing too exciting happened. I missed a game day party I was supposed to go to, but did drive into the city for dinner and symphony with my mom (early bday present for her.) I nearly thought I wouldn't make it: dizzy and ( Read more... )

I realize that's a strange way to describe it, but I feel grisly calling myself "the bereaved," "the grieving," or that Victorian standby, "the relict." Hadn't actually realized I was a relict until just now. Ew! What a term! They all seem dehumanizing in some way. As for being a "widow," I just can't help but think about the little girl Anne ( Read more... )

Mr. Pratchett's latest, and was I happy to see the kid carrying it in Peet's the other day! Ran right over to Border's to get my copy.

No strong reaction, really. It's not a dud - it has a new look at Unseen University and its faculty and staff, interesting new characters and new takes on old characters. But it's kind of slow, and there's not much ( Read more... )

Thank goodness Terry Pratchett's Alzheimer's did not affect Nation, nor did the slump of Making Money. It's a fun book - not terribly new or original, but there's nothing wrong with Plucky Smart Victorian Girls, Thinking Caring Boys, secrets in the dark, throwing cultural assumptions into doubt by juxtaposition, and things like that. Think The ( Read more... )

I am back, intermittent poster that I am, to show you fabulous pictures of Scotland and make you jealous. You've probably all already seen
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As in, the latest by Mr. Pratchett. Now, I recognize that I'm often rather pissy and judgmental with a migraine, but I didn't think this was very good. Formulaic was the word that came to mind. It's about Moist von Lipwig taking over the Mint, and it reads like he (or his publisher) took a poll and stuffed in all the charming Pratchett elements: ( Read more... )

Clearly I've been off LJ for rather awhile. We moved. I needed safety and reassurance, so I read a lot of LM Montgomery, specifically Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily's Quest. Emily is LM's other heroine (if you don't know who the other other heroine is, you're probably male or v. v. hip). You can relate to Emily more in some ways - she's ( Read more... )

Somehow, the English mythological picture of forests just does not match my own. In English stories forests are always dark, dangerous, evil, mysterious places, have you noticed? In Tolkien, of course, Mirkwood, the Old Forest where the hobbits meet Tom Bombadil (and are almost eaten by a willow tree), and Fangorn are all Not Nice places. The only ( Read more... )

I've reached a more depressing part of the book, with her talking in detail about the revolution and how she was ousted from her class, marginalized, etc. I just can't believe people still fall for these stupid promises! That they'll believe "we can't focus on our own rights until we get rid of all those Bad people (whoever they are)." And yet, is ( Read more... )