Ble ble ble

Mid week

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:49:53 GMT

It's mid week and I feel that I'm cheating on writing again.

Weekend was as usual not as I've planned- Saturday was all spring cleaning, by the time I had a minute for my computer I was literally exhausted. Sunday was fairly relaxed until I've developed a migraine accompanied by strained stomach.

Monday was lovely in terms of reading and classes. Met a very nice people at the creative writing class and wrote a bit - but that doesn't count, because it does not add to my thesis. Bugger.

Yesterday I was traveling a lot by train, again, so I've read articles that I have to discuss with my students, and that made me feel a bit accomplished, because now I'm two weeks ahead with reading and I can prepare questions for them. I also sorted out my payroll, which means I'm getting paid. And I've read three chapters of Goblin Market. And I've read fjm 's comments about my chapter, to master a plan of action, and ordered books in BL which are probably waiting for me now.

But still no proper writing done. I did work, just not write, and I feel guilty. Grrr...

So off to BL now to study stuff on Kubla Khan and dreams.

Target for today: 300 words

Busy weekend

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:35:59 GMT

Usually, I try to make weekend a time for rest and pleasure, but that can never work out, as I have piles of cleaning, washing, ironing, and me nagging K. to do housework with me - if I don't do it simultaneously with him- it will not be done.

This weekend I've decided I have to do also my daily portion of writing, so I don't wake up Monday morning feeling guilty and not-so-keen on writing.

Also I have to prepare for Monday classes, and write a funding proposal.

And there is the whole flat to be cleaned... I am awaiting the day when I can afford a cleaner...

But for now, books are the priority.

So off to housework then!

If The Stars Were Mine...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:19:40 GMT

YouTube - If The Stars Were Mine - Melody Gardot -

Things done...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:31:46 GMT

1 hour of singing lessons for my friend
1 hour a chat with her
300 words before lunch
10 min yoga practice
3 chapters of Goblin Market
An Introduction to CUP
300 words before dinner
Finished reading Wild Magic

London Jazz Festival

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:57:16 GMT

It's coming!!!

Jazz, World and Contemporary Music • London Jazz Festival

Things out of the blue...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:15:30 GMT

1. I've nearly finished reading the book I've started yesterday...that's fast for me, even though it's just 350pages.

2.I've written my outline and dig through my library; I've added books to endnote that I've forgotten to ad ages ago.

3.There are still mice in the house, this night was the fourth in the row - we get a surprise in the trap every morning! And there are at least four cats in my garden! Tomorrow I'm taking my landlord's cat for a walk around my kitchen.

4.I'm going all curly tomorrow. Hairdresser appointment set, those of you who've seen me, I have permanently straight hair and I curl them whenever I can to add volume. But I don't have time to curl them recently, and it takes ages, so I'm getting myself a perm- not the 80s style, hopefully the Rubens angelic, or at least 20's style. Time for change...of hairstyle!

B.C.#18 Moon Dance

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:26:36 GMT

18. Moon Dance by S. P. Somtow

I'm not a horror genre person. I was sceptical before reading this. It so happened that I watched Twilight and True Blood in one week.
And I suddenly felt like a werewolf epic.

This is an adult epic fantasy with a good pace, intriguing characters and a well-structured plot.
I used to watch western movies with my dad when I was little, and so I have a sentiment for the wild wild west. It's thoroughly entertaining, and I, personally, could sleep afterwards, which means it's scary and disturbing, but still managable - the news channels provide scarier images every day. Although, it was published in 1989, so I assume that at the time of the publication it was a more disturbing read.

The novel starts with Carrie Dupre, one of the main protagonists, driving to a meeting with a mysterious serial killer. She wants to write a book about his life and possibly recover some information on her great grandmother who might be somehow connected to the killer. During her research she becomes gardually sucked into the history of Jonas Kay who suffers a multiple personality disorder. And he also happens to be a werewolf, who decides to tell her his 'whole' story...

This is where the action of the novel is moved in time to 1880s and where the real story actually begins. Somtow creates a strangely convincing young Freud, who is one of many historical characters added for the flavour of authenticity - I think , quite successfully. The images of the nineteenth century London, Vienna and Dakota territory are colorful, but not overdone, just the right pinch of the stereotype and the 'real' thing - something that still hangs on to the stones of the old buildings...

Overall, I can recommend it for fans of the werewolf persuasion and for all those who enjoy an adventure with a supernatural tinge.

One of the reviews on the cover says:
'Somtow does for werewolves what Anne Rice has done for vampires...'

I think it may be just the right summary of the book.

ICFA

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:48:53 GMT

Accepted paper.
I'm going...

A good day

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:41:20 GMT

I wrote a proposal - 500 words.
I dutifully sat in BL and did my reading and writing.
And I'm a mouse-hunter.

A little mouse in the house...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:44:59 GMT

A few days ago K. told me that we have a mouse somewhere in the area of our kitchen bin. He heard some sounds at the night which then repeated next day. I didn't believe him. I didn't hear any mouse sounds, just the bin liner rustling when something falls down the bin.

I'm used to that kind house sounds ans K. has been staying at home recently being generally sick, so I just thought - it's slightly getting into his head...
And guess what happened?

I came from BL, had a snack, and while K. was in the bathroom I've heard rustling. And then again. Curious, I went in the direction of the bin expecting nothing out of ordinary...and then I saw it. A little mouse munching in the middle of the rubbish bin!

I didn't scream, because I'm not an 'eek there's a mouse' person. I was genuinely shocked for two reasons.
First, there really was a mouse in our house.
Second, K. was right and I didn't believe him. That doesn't happen very often.

The mouse is gone now due to collective effort.
We had a laugh, because the whole situation seems so bizarre.
Next time K. hears rustling sounds, I'll help him look for any unwanted visitors.*

*We live on ground floor and often have a terrace door opened-I just hope this is the way mousy got in.

BL

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:37:18 GMT

Yesterday's meeting with fjm was great - as always. I have work to do, but I'm happy about it. I know what, when and where.
I like to have a plan, because when I have it I concentrate my energy on the current goal and push forward. The feeling of accomplishment that I get out of it pushes me towards another goal, and so on.

Today's goal: Write a proposal up to 500 words

Piece of cake.

I'm really excited about this paper, because it can open some new research doors for me.

To work then...

Ideas

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:58:14 GMT

Yesterday I had an idea for a proposal. Today I've done research. And guess what - there is nothing out there.
Tomorrow I shall go through the main platforms and databases with a different set of keywords, but I think I've just discovered a massive hole in research on H. De Vere Stacpoole.
Does anybody know ANY papers on him that are NOT on The Blue Lagoon?
Outrageous, but great, I can make it my own!

The idea for a totally (well, nearly) different chapter structure popped into my head a few hours ago, I've made a sketch, I've made notes, I'm going to sleep and then I shall look at it in the morning light.

It seems fine on the surface, and I finally have a common denominator for chapters, at least the strictly-magic-related ones.
Hmm...
My brain is will be switched on tonight.

Another thing done...

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:24:19 GMT

I can see my carpet!

Two hours of arduous sorting, moving, throwing away, recycling and the effect is stunning.I feel very proud of myself, with a little bit of hoovering (which is K's duty) it will look and feel clean.

How I hate cleaning, my head is spinning from all moving from here to there around the flat.

As this morning I've decided: cleaning today, tomorrow resting and the intellectual work. The latter will be much more pleasurable in a nice and clean apartment.

I'm naturally very messy and chaotic in my way of organising things in the house, but I always remember what is where, especially if it comes to K's stuff, he seems to automatically forget it as soon as the object is no longer in direct contact with his body. I'm always amazed by that.

Well, life is full of amazing things, small and big, cleaning included.

Things...

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:14:56 GMT

I've just finished ironing a huge pile of clothes, it was taking the whole sofa space in the kitchen, now it feels slightly empty.

I've had a quick lunch-scrambled eggs with the last crop if tiny tomatoes and spring onion.

Yum, yum...

Still, I have a long list of stuff to do, so off I go!

Morning yoga definitely helps to keep me fairly energized through the day. I expect to finish most of my tasks today, so I can focus on reading tomorrow.

B.C.#17 Splinter by Adam Roberts

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:33:50 GMT

17. Splinter by Adam Roberts

This was a very curious read. I'm still not sure what to think about it.

My first impression was-this is a nightmare, I'm completely out of my comfort zone, this is just not right.

After reading a substantial amount of epic fantasy in the past two months, Splinter hit me. I've read it, and I felt appalled by the slowness of it. This is not what I consider science fiction-I thought- but again, what do I know of science fiction. This is definitely not what I've expected.

To me it sounded much more like a mainstream psychological novel with a sf twist in the background, but then again, what does it matter how this novel is labeled or marketed, it's the text that counts-in my mind this is probably what Adam would say, as far as I can remember from SFF Masterclass.

I've read this book, and it felt like there is nothing happening, the sheer stagnation was infuriating to a person that really likes to know what happens next. This is probably why I've actually read it till the end.

Reading the extensive endnote helped me a lot to understand what Adam wanted to achieve and why.

It feels like the endnote is the actual ending of the novel, a post scriptum in a post modern way.

Hmm...

Because of the endnote, my judgment is clouded.

It is a book about father and son in the first place. A book about the inability to gain independence of one's parents, and sexual frustration of a thirty-eight-year-old. I'm still not convinced that the world ends in a physical sense, I would expect something more definite, but this is precisely what it is about.

I still haven't decided if I like the book.

It is a very curious read, not cosy, rather disturbing in many ways. From time to time, it's good to read a book like that.

Things happening...

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:05:57 GMT

I've done a lot of of house-work today and I'm celebrating with a first-this-autumn mulled berry punch!

1.Cleaned the bathroom
2.Cleaned the kitchen (fridge included)
3.Did the laundry
4.Read instructions for grading and teaching for next week
5.Weaseled myself out of dinner-I've cooked it yesterday

Also, yesterday, I've spent the whole evening making a photo collage and now it's framed and mounted on the wall.
The flat suddenly became cosy, probably because of green tea sensual oil that I keep lighting every evening.

Although, it's cold, the central heating does not work when I want it to work. How rude!

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:00:51 GMT

I'm writing. K. is watching Blade 2.

Gosh, it's disturbing.

Imagine, discussing The Princess and the Goblin and seeing a monstrous mouth eating right into a guy's throat...

I want to unsee things.

It's a bit annoying...

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:31:21 GMT

Today I've woken up with a headache. Fourth day in the row. I mean, COME on.

Everyday the headache is different and I blame it on the crazy pressure imbalance.

But I'm as stubborn as my headaches. I'm disabled in terms of writing through most of the days when I'm headachy, usually I just read a lot and towards the evening I slowly regain my thinking abilities.

So I've been reading books and your lj's.

Today first time since Monday I did some decent writing and I intend to continue until I fall on my computer, because you never know what state I will be in the morning. Hopefully, I'll wake up all rested and ready to work again.

I'm writing on George MacDonald now, and it's fascinating.

Everyday I get a new idea for what to add to this chapter, but I gave myself time till Sunday, so it won't be a day more. I still can keep up notes in this file if I get an idea, I guess...

Mon:500 words
Fri:500words
In between: suffering

On the positive side, this week is not over yet !

B.C. #17 Robert Silverberg, #18 Manson, Cynthia DeMarcus

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:46:42 GMT

17. Nightwings by Robert Silverberg

A book compiled from three short stories. The first part I enjoyed very much. The second was fascinating. The third felt long, but I was curious how will it end.

It is definitely a change in my reading habits, as I tend to meander into the epic realm most of the time - I can't help it, it's addictive. But a book like that makes you think carefully about what you're reading.

18. Manson, Cynthia DeMarcus. The Fairy-Tale Literature of Dickens, Christina Rossetti, and George Macdonald: Antidotes to the Victorian Spiritual Crisis. Lesiston, Queenston, Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2008.

I've read it a month ago or so, but as usual, didn't put it here.

This book is a partial answer to my inner question about the popularity of fantasy literature, it's been nagging me since I've started Uni, and it's probably one of the reasons why I'm writing PhD.

A very interesting book - food for thought.

A thick veil of migraine

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:01:36 GMT

Yesterday, I've ended up having a massive migraine. Today my head feels a bit like it has been spontaneously crushed with a surprisingly hard coconut. Thinking is a difficult process at the moment. A feel like somebody put layers of thick veil on my head and squeezzed it tightly.

I had a short refreshing walk and bought Imigran with a set of veggies for dinner. Slow cooker is on with a chicken casserole inside. I haven't baked mu bread for about a year and after reading a few mouthwatering post I've decided it may be exactly what I need. The process of recovering oneself from a migrainic slumber is tiresome and slow.

Everything is surreal tight now!

Autumnal Darknness

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:46:32 GMT

It's time for porridge breakfast to boost the morale of my organism.

I woke up well rested, and spent half an hour lazing and just lying in bed, because I naively thought that I have plenty of time.

I was wrong, and the reason why is - it's dark outside. I had to turn the lights on in the kitchen for cooking purposes. The Autumn is upon us and there is no point denying. The chestnuts are on the ground with piles of leaves and the wind acquired a rustling quality that can be assigned only to this particular season.

It means that I will have to MAKE myself get out of bed more often than usual. Oh, the irksome nature!

On the positive side, I actually like kicking leaves and crunching them with my feet. Fun, fun, fun!

And I can start making chestnut figurines!

Sudafed is...

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:08:28 GMT

...a weird thing.

As expected, after two weeks of me having a cold, it's K.'s turn. So we're both on Sudafed and I'm literally high on it. For the past two hours I've been reading stuff on dialectics, its history and variations and... I'm still high. And thirsty. I don't think I take any more today -I want to get some sleep before the early morning F1 race.

Tomorrow I'll use half a dose.

On the positive side, I probably would not be so keen on dialectics if not for pseudoephedrine.

Still have my writing to do though.

B.C.#16

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:05:15 GMT

This is an old position, I've posted it in Feb., but I've added it to a wrong list- this is my desperate attempt to catch up with my challenge, others to be expected...

16.Alternative Worlds in Fantasy Fiction by Peter Hunt and Millicent Lenz

Alternative Worlds in Fantasy Fiction is a work providing a neat and compressed analsis of Ursula K. Le Guin's world of Earthsea, Terry Pratchett's Discworld and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials worlds. It is a set of three separate studies with an occasional comparative note. I have expected it to be slightly more focused on the idea of alternative worlds per se than the in-deep discussion of the three writers. Otherwise, it is a helpful and pleasurable to read position. (If you need a quick summary through those three writers-this is a perfect choice.)

B.C. #15 Tad Williams The Dragonbone Chair

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:51:39 GMT

15. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams

Just finished it. And let me tell you, that was a looong read, not for the lack of enthusiasm on my part in the least.
I've started reading it in June, just after coming back from the Masterclass. And the problem was: first 300 pages or so.

The parts of the book where Simon is introduced as our classical 'no-one' are very cosy-and cosy is good.
But the parts where the whole world is sketched are a bit tedious, and I think I know the reasons why. As far as I am aware, this is Williams's first book, so at least some tiny mishaps are to be expected. The religious references are also building up on the tediousness, as there is too little defamiliarisation going on for my taste. It is a bit like being slapped in the face with Aedon's cult, it's so familiar, just the names are changed.

And then an interesting thing happens. Binabik appears and suddenly the reading gets easier with every page, and, by 'Elysia Mother of God', it becomes exciting. There is evil coming, brothers fighting, some serious backstabbing, bits of romance, Sithi (defamiliarised elves, but thank Usires the merciful, still elves) and trolls -not dwarves or gnomes- trolls, and even dragons. Oh, and magic swords that do what they want. What can possibly go wrong?

I came back to reading this after I had finished a rather complicated, though delightful epic, and the second take on The Dragonbone Chair turned out to be successful.

All in all, an enjoyable read.

It was published in 1989, and so I can see how other writers since then used some motives present here. There is an undeniable breeze of Tolkien and the dedication mentions inspirations with Shire as one of them. Interesting is also the author's note suggesting that, maybe, the author is actually Binabik...

But these are just my musings freshly baked and warm from the oven.

Hurray!

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:14:18 GMT

I've successfully survived the Registration panel and I'm now officially registered as an MPhil student on the track to PhD transfer - practically speaking, I'm a PhD student a step closer to viva. Two steps more and off I go (and at least three years more, but that is an insignificant detail).

Let the champagne flow!

I must admit I was terribly nervous, my hands were shaking and I kept drinking water to stop myself from coughing.

But it was great, I really enjoyed the questions - they were constructive and made think about my project from a different angle, the independent scholar showed a genuine interest in the project and even exchanged emails with me to keep in touch, with a prospect on possible collaboration.

I'm full of positive energy. I've even stayed after the panel in the library to get some extra book supplies, and enjoyed writing down a few quotes.

I have a lot to do this month: finish a chapter, work on ICFA proposal, add chapter outline and aims of investigation to my registration paperwork. And there are books and books and books I have to look at.

I love my life!