The Book of Na'Lon

I am so tired after the first two teaching session of 05-06. I hope that I can manage to stave of the dreaded lurgi that my colleagues have been sharing around. Teaching is hard enough work without feeling ill.

Waking the Dead was grim. But somehow still less disturbing than Evangelion. Spent much of last night dreaming about Rei and Misato with a bit of Ritsuko in there, I think. Odd dreams - it's the emotional cruelty that laces through Evangelion that I find really challenging: the way that people - especially Misato and the children - are used is something my softy squishy inner being finds hard to take. I need to take a bit of a break from Eva... Three more episodes to go - including the one with Kaworu, who I found really intriguing as a character from my first viewing of Death & Rebirth. That'll be another toughy, I shouldn't wonder. One day, I'll probably try to put some more of my toughts about this show into words. It's been a very interesting and challenging experience so far, watching Eva.

While the Marquis was making dinner, I went to call my mother but ended up talking to Na'Kim for a good long time. It was so nice to speak to her. The Marquis called her 'Ritsuko' - I can see what he means, too...

Tomorrow I am doing the first repeat of the session I did this morning with the second group. It's always very interesting to see how the same teaching session pans out with different people. I hope it goes well. I also hope that I won't be bored to tears by the time I get to Friday's repeat.

I hope I get a chance to look up some stuff for Meglorien tomorrow - she wants to know about how use of language might reflect personality. I don't know if I'll be able to suggest anything useful for her to read, but it sounds like an interesting idea that she is on to: in LoTR the book, Gollum's use of English is pretty childish, and Smeagol's near perfect. In PJ's movies, it's pretty much the other way around. Meglorien is interested in a psychological interpretation of these concepts... I'll see what I can rustle up, between writing next week's sessions.

Enough for now... I need sleep.

Since the introduction of Tolkien into mainstream culture, the Tolkien fan has made an astonishing comeback. Since a recent survey has shown that many lit-life watchers are particularly interested in this particular species of literary fan, we have decided to provide a series of pointers that might help you spot this illusive creature.

Tolkien fans can easily be mistaken for the general public. They often pursue professions similar to those characteristic of the vast majority of the general public, and they are a very varied species. There are size and colour variations as well as differences in the calls and sounds these creatures make. But, don't despair, our useful tips should help you in identifying Tolkien fans in their natural habitat.

Today's pointer:

If two Tolkien fans meet each other, they often exchange terrible puns. These puns can be quite disconcerting, but do not generally lead to permanent damage. But the chance to see a Tolkien fan may be worth the minor discomfort to you.

Every year I rant about the commercialisation of the institution – see Polly’s (jane_somebody) entry on VD for a précis of my usual ravings… And then I make sure I have a little something for the Marquis anyway.

So instead of buying a card this year, I decided that the only way of letting my little romantic know that I just don’t like the pressure VD puts on people, and that I am quite happy to do something special for him, was to make my own card for him and think of a prezzie of something he’d really like: I think he like the card, and the prezzie (model ships :-)).

He gave me a beautiful card with the watercolour of a curled up cat and a box of chocolates. And he went patiently around many shoe shops with me in Newcastle as I looked for the pair I’d seen yesterday in Carlisle, but which they hadn’t had in my size. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is! (Well, I do, but it sounds dramatic.)

Anyway, the shoes weren’t the only reason for the Newcastle trip: I felt desperate to get away from Carlisle for a day, and Newcastle is the nearest Big City. I liked what I saw and it felt very good to be in a big place with many different people and new buildings and shops and all sorts. Amongst other things, we popped into Forbidding Prices, too, and looked at some LotR merchandise (what tack!!! In some cases…).

Since we were unsuccessful in finding my shoes in Newcastle, we stopped at the Metrocentre (a strange, strange place) on the way home. I found my shoes, and we found the model shop, where the Marquis picked his models (see above) and bought me a tiny, tiny tri-plane (Fokker DR 1).

Anyway, it’s been a good day, mainly, because it has been so different. And I don’t have to work tomorrow. Yay!

Happy Valentine’s Day all!

You need electricity for it...

Went for our walk as planned and thought of beckyc up a fell!

( Read more... )

Completely exhausted when we got back -- and feeling pathetic at my level of unfitness -- I napped on the sheepskin in the livingroom, while the Marquis did similarly in the bedroom. We both woke right on time for Time Team, one of our favourite TV programs, which promised to be particularly good, but... there was a powercut! One of the amusingly long variety, which lasted for about two hours. It really brought home how much we depend on 'lectricity in our little house here: can't cook without it, or update lj or email friends or watch DVDs... [grins].

Out came the candles, and I used the time to update my paper journal which I hadn't written since last weekend. Then I read some LotR to the Marquis -- the bit where Aragorn rides back to Dunharrow to take the Paths of the Dead and speaks there with Eowyn.

( LotR Dramatic reading wittering )

Anyway, since we've got power back now, it's time to sort out some sort of dinner, do some ironing and go to watch Midsomer Murders on TV -- today's guess on body count: 3. Will tell you after if I got it right... :-)