hello again
Resurfacing (sort of) after (sort of) meeting three deadlines, two for articles, one for a public lecture. Still waiting for responses on articles. Lecture went surprisingly well (gives self a little pat on the shoulder).
Fannish news news: still in love with Ripper Street, may try my hand at a Longer Story With A Plot. Have started watching Game of Thrones - can't see any slash anywhere, but it's a gripping story, and I totally love young Arya. Strongly suspect that the days of the (on the whole likeable) Starks are numbered. My son, who gave me Season 1 as a Christmas present, let it slip that Arya "develops interestingly", which means that she's going to survive intrigues and evil plots at least until the beginning of Season 4.
Personal news: not a lot. Still working. Still reading and writing (mostly academic stuff for the past few months). Still single, and likely to remain so (cheerful acceptance? mature resignation? immature resentment? all of the above, I guess, with each of them prevailing at different times). Still (every day more so!) angry at the present Australian Government: its refugee policies first and foremost; its watering down the law on hate language; its threats to the State television networks; its arrogance and complacency regarding climate change; its spending millions of dollars searching for the ill-fated Malaysian plane, and making "savings" on disability services and services on violence against women.
Recommended dvds: The Bletchley Circle, set in England in the 1950s; the heroines are four code-breakers, the script brilliantly passes the Bechdel Test (btw: I went to hear Alison Bechdel in Melbourne! Fantastic woman, great speaker, great sense of humour).
Recommended film: Wadjda, the first Saudi Arabian film directed by a woman. Yes, it's yet another Foreign Film with Subtitles. But it's dramatic, it has funny moments, and it's a fantastic child's eye view of a country where women can work, but cannot drive, and are third-class citizens. And there'a thin thread of hope (possibly two thin threads of hope) at the end. Please don't miss it.
Fannish news news: still in love with Ripper Street, may try my hand at a Longer Story With A Plot. Have started watching Game of Thrones - can't see any slash anywhere, but it's a gripping story, and I totally love young Arya. Strongly suspect that the days of the (on the whole likeable) Starks are numbered. My son, who gave me Season 1 as a Christmas present, let it slip that Arya "develops interestingly", which means that she's going to survive intrigues and evil plots at least until the beginning of Season 4.
Personal news: not a lot. Still working. Still reading and writing (mostly academic stuff for the past few months). Still single, and likely to remain so (cheerful acceptance? mature resignation? immature resentment? all of the above, I guess, with each of them prevailing at different times). Still (every day more so!) angry at the present Australian Government: its refugee policies first and foremost; its watering down the law on hate language; its threats to the State television networks; its arrogance and complacency regarding climate change; its spending millions of dollars searching for the ill-fated Malaysian plane, and making "savings" on disability services and services on violence against women.
Recommended dvds: The Bletchley Circle, set in England in the 1950s; the heroines are four code-breakers, the script brilliantly passes the Bechdel Test (btw: I went to hear Alison Bechdel in Melbourne! Fantastic woman, great speaker, great sense of humour).
Recommended film: Wadjda, the first Saudi Arabian film directed by a woman. Yes, it's yet another Foreign Film with Subtitles. But it's dramatic, it has funny moments, and it's a fantastic child's eye view of a country where women can work, but cannot drive, and are third-class citizens. And there'a thin thread of hope (possibly two thin threads of hope) at the end. Please don't miss it.