What's with today, today?

Ghost trees in the headlights just beyond the known circle of light. The road's a discovery at night even this old familiar road fades into the vast and fathomless dark.

I had a thought, on the bus this morning, and I thought I would write a blog post about it, but as is so often the way I've forgotten what it was. If it comes back to me I'll let you know. It has struck me, from the posters arund uni, that it is revue season. Some of the revues this year: R.A.S.H. (med), The Devil Drinks Lager (Engineering, typical engineers and beer), Shred (not sure, law?) etc. Might go to one if thesis permits. Other things that are good at the moment, but that I get to experience more than revues, are cherry danishes. These are good in any season. I recommend those from a cafe on Liverpool St., at World Square. I eat them whenever I get the chance. Also playing scrabble on facebook. Is good, but that doesn't work so often on uni computers. I am trying to write 500 words of thesis a day, which happens most days actually. I have written 450 today, but fell down a little over the weekend so should keep going once I get home. At the English Honours seminar ...

I know I didn't write a poston Monday, but that's just because I was at work and didn't have internet access. I may change my blog-updating day this semester, will just have to see what my roster is like at work. Work, what a depressing thought. And I should be doing uni work right now of course, but just found out that I don't have the information on my USB that I thought I had, so am finding it hard to motivate myserlf to do anything else. Maybe I should do some reading for my Utopian Dreamings course instead, that has to be done too, right? Stupid thesis *grumbles* In other reading related news, the latest Harry Potter book is out! Doubtless you all know this, due perhaps to the enormous amount of hype and publicity, or the fact that I've had the release date posted up on my sidebar for a while, or whatever reason. Nonetheless, an exciting event that cannot go by without being remarked upon. I read it over the weekend, finished it on Sunday afternoon. I was keen ...

I just finished reading 'Suite Francaise', which was very sad. In fact, the appendix was the saddest part of the book. It is unfinished, but there is a sense of completion at the end of he book as it stands (two sections were finished). Strange how even when there are so many stories from WWII still manage to be so poignant. Maybe all war stories, but there seem to be most from WWII and they are perhaps the most sad. Maybe it is all the different facets of the war that can be covered. Concentration camps, the blitz, people fleeing concentration camps, the soldiers, the people waiting for soldiers at home, the perspectives of people from so many different countries. 'Suite Francaise' managed to capture the sense of the largeness of war, and the scope of people caught up in it, particularly well. It focused on 'ordinary people' in France at the time of the French defeat and occupation. It was written at that time as well, which gives it a different perspective, mo...

Today I got lent a copy of the 'Beowulf and Grendel' movie, which looks about as classy as you might expect, and a little less accurate. I haven't watched it yet, but the cover says a lot. For a start the back boasts a rating of 3 stars, which isn't a good sign. The description calls up memories of the Beowulf poem, the famous non-fight between Grendel and Beowulf, the themes of mercy, the memorable character of Selma the "mysterious and sensual witch". Well, ok, so what I actually remember is Beowulf ripping Grendel's arm off at the shoulder to stop him eating any more people, but then what would I know? Who knows where the Selma character sprang from... Anyway, looks like it will be fun and cause much laughter. The problem is that it's really a movie that needs to be watched with a large-ish group of people and everyone has assignments and exams at the moment. Including me truth be told. But the essays are coming along ok... I want a bumper sticker ...

Well, it's been a fairly busy weekend, but overall a fun one. Friday I went ice-skating (in the morning! i had to wake up!), for the first time in years, and managed to skate around without holding on to the edge all the time, which felt like an achievement. Did not do so well at trying to teach others to skate, but started learning to skate backwards, which was exciting. Then Friday evening I went to watch 'Tales From Earthsea', which turned out to be an odd experience. It wasn't a bad movie, although the plot had many holes in it, but I was distracted from this by trying to match the movie to the books. Obviously there were elements of Tehanu in there, but I think this was blended with The Farthest Shore, and also bits that were unique to the movie itself. I found it hard to distinguish though since it's been so long since I read those books, my memory of what goes where is vague (apart from The Tombs of Atuan, which is pretty distinctive). I'd seen Pirates of...

As all of you are no doubt aware, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 comes out today/has come out today. And this is a very exciting event. I am going to see it tonight, dressed as a pirate. In preparation for this I have spent the whole day in the library, dressed as a pirate. Luckily my pirate costume is not too outstandingly piratical, but I did feel that I attracted some funny looks on the way in to uni. Maybe I am just being paranoid/self-centred. But my pirate costume is fabulous :p Anyway, that is very exciting and merits a post in itself. The rest of my day has also been exciting, if less so, and slightly less than ideally productive. I feel like I have been moving along on my thesis slowly but steadily until about a week ago, at which point my working practice broke down almost completely and I spent far too much time watching Rage. Now I am working on essays. My major distraction today came from the books on level 9, the story of which I started last blog post but left unfinished. Wh...

I have 6 minutes left to write a blog post, since somehow I got a computer which gives half as much internet time as the rest. I would have changed, but there was such a long line I just wanted any computer I could get. After this I am heading up to level 9 of the library because apparently they are still giving free books away. Which is very exciting, though they've been doing it for a while so there may be nothing good left. That wouldn't bother me too much as I already got Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Reader and another book on Old English the title of which has slipped my mind, courtesy of Sam and Bec. Thanks guys! Maybe I'll come back afterwards and write more... I like the library, despite the long computer queues, there's a sense of accomplishment in mastering the finding of things, especially when you talk to scientific people who come into contact with Fisher so rarely that their minds boggle when they do. Hehe. Anyhoo, sadly, that's my time for now...

Here is a link for all you bored and/or procrastinating blog readers, courtesy of my brother Jeremy. Thanks Jem, you make me laugh :)

Over the weekend I headed down to Canberra (for a whole night!) and while there I picked up a book that was lying around the house called 'Heart Songs' by Annie Proulx. It's a book of short stories about the farmers and country dwellers in a remote part of New England, America, in the (fictional?) Chopping County. The characters are all either very poor or rich, city dwelling intruders. It had alot of elements that resonated with my American Gothic class, all dark secrets and run-down houses and a pervasive past. It also made me think of country music. This was not particularly original thinking on my part, the eponymous story ('Heart Songs') was about a family of these country people ('hicks' if you will, or maybe hillbillies?) who played country music together and are infiltrated by a city dweller who is impressed by their music. All the music is very sad. And I suppose the point of the stories is that they are like country songs themselves, sad and dark b...

I saw 'Hot Fuzz' on Saturday night. I had heard good things, so I was expecting it to be enjoyable, but I was wrong. It wasn't merely enjoyable, it was really really great! Now that I've spoilt that un-hyped experience for you all (all of you that are still reading my blog) I guess I should elaborate a bit. It was hilarious, all of us laughed alot. It just got more and more surreal and over the top. But also very violent in surprisingly gruesome ways. It's about a highly talented, highly urban cop who gets transferred to a small country village (village of the year in fact) and is initially rather bored and out of place, until sinister things start happening. At which point he is still out of place, as the idea of 'sinister' seems to be completely alien to the village dwellers minds. Oh, and it's by the makers of 'Shaun of the Dead', which was also pretty good. Basically my main point is that you should all go out and watch this movie, because yo...

Belatedly. If you didn't get anything, or you feel all alone, don't worry, I love you. And I got you this (picture of a) flower. Feel the love, the love is in the air, and all around, and so on and so forth... I like being in love. :)

In the spirit of 'the year in review' (albeit a little late) here is my list of books I finished in 2006 for the first time. I'm just too lazy to think of an actual post, that's right... Although I've given you short reviews of most of these. So if you're stuck on what to read in 2007, maybe this will help. * for my pick of the year, the best of the best. There are a whole lot of new favourites on this list but the red star goes for the 5 star books, not just the 4 1/2 star ones. So enjoy, those of you who actually read this whole list :p Les Miserables- Victor Hugo Epically huge, but very classic and awesome. Many digressions, but Gavroche is the best. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell- Susanna Clark Original fantasy with flair and a sense of humour. The Big Over Easy- Jasper Fforde 44 Scotland Street- Alexander McCall Smith Light and engaging. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency- Alexander McCall Smith Like Water for Chocolate- Laura Esquivel Overly melodrama...

I know this is very late, but happy new year all the same! I spent my New Years Eve watching fireworks in Balmain, and then left almost straight away afterwards because I was so tired after LOTR :( What did you do with your New Years? This is another short blog post because it's late and I'm tired once again, also I am lazy. I will try to do better in the future :) Am in Cnaberra at the moment, but off to the South Coast tomorrow. Family fun!

addictive, very addictive. So, guess what I've been doing with my time? Spending alot of it on the internet is the right answer here. It's been a while since I had the time an internet access to get addicted, rather than hurrying through my mail and blogs and occasionally checking my web comics, and I am enjoying it. So here are some tidbits to share with you all. A christmassy game ! This is very cute, it has jumping bunnies and bells. The main site also has a game where you have to be santa delivering presents. A holiday calender ! Which is mean and nasty, in a fun way. Overheard in New York , which is an old site that I posted up on spampage but just rediscovered, and the usual webcomics, some of which I have links to on this blog. Oh, and Alex and Alan have a new blog ! Which I will put up a link to as well. Other than that, I will give a short description for Pun of some of the cooking that's been happening... Sylvia made lavender ice-cream from her mediterranean cook ...

I haven't been spending much time around computers with internet access, being either at home or at work. Which is probably not true. But near enough. Well I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats as to whether I did actually get around to enjoying my day last Monday, and the answer is yes, yes I did. Andrew and I went and saw Children of Men, with one free movie ticket. What an awesome movie! Really, I recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. If it's still out. If not, get it on DVD. Anyway, that kept me on the edge of my seat with the suspense and all. It was very real, but a good fictional story. Well made too, with the camerawork and the characters you cared about and all. It was absorbing, and I couldn't look away, and I was freaked out alot and they created this really believable world (which was kinda scary). This is not the best review, but the point I wanted to make was it that it's a good movie. And I think I've done that. The rest o...

So afraid In the spin of the world To fall into another's arms So hold me up Just hold me up And I'll be fine In just a little while I'll stand alone In a little while. The night is dark But I don't want to live By someone else's light So shine softly Guide me gently And I'll walk straight Until I shine In a minute I will shine. If I lose myself Where are we? So I don't need you Just stay here One minute more. I'm better off alone But stay A little longer In a minute I'll be fine.

What a creepy series of comics these do be. (Or graphic novels, whatever you prefer) I think that Neil Gaiman has a very twisted mind. But intriguing at the same time. I mean, he writes some good stories, particularly in comic book form. I think most of his novels seem a little unfinished somehow when you read them. Or the ones I've read anyway. There are some really great ideas though. 'Neverwhere' had a great premise, for example, based in a subterranean world below London, half real but mostly fantastical, populated by the disspossed and the forgotten of the past, present and myth. But I felt dissatisfied with it in the end. Ultimately it didn't feel whole, as though he'd left bits out, and I don't know how well he communicated the setting. As for the story, it was confusing, and I don't remember it all that well now, which must tell you something, right? I only read it at the end of last year. Not that my memory for details is very good... but my point i...

I had alot of time to kill on the bus trip back from Canberra, and so I was reading through my English textbook (The Norton Anthology of Poetry, 5th edition, so not too bad at all)for about three hours. This is just so that you understand the cotext in which I came up with the idea for this post. Why do people always associate poetry with rhyme? It doesn't have to be the case. And I think that most people would know that alot of poetry doens't rhyme, or is at least not in rhyming couplets. This is not even a new idea. It's not just these new-fangled poets who dispense with tradition and so rhyme. Old English poetry doesn't rhyme, it alliterates instead. Shakespeare often wrote in blank verse which means NO RHYMING. Robert Browning doesn't always write in rhyme. In short, poetry doesn't necessarily equal rhyme even before the 21st century. Now, I have to confess that I am a bit biased in this as I always thought that rhyming couplets tend to sound silly. And abab...

by Augie March, I love that song! Sadly I listened to the album yesterday and decided it wasn't worth it, but that one song, man, I really like it. Not sure why but there you go, when was love meant to be logical? Actually I think the song talks about that... So there you go. Now my CD wishlist includes: Fallout Boy- From Under the Cork Tree Blanche- If You Can't Trust the Doctors Triple J Hottest 100 Volume 5 and possibly Live- Throwing Copper. Because all of these are good. Well, at least partially. You see I really feel like buying a new cd at the moment, but then you have to justify the expense and there's no reason really and I haven't even been listening much to the CDs I already have. So I'm just making lists in my mind... And waiting for the new Bright Eyes album to come out. Well, first I have to wait for them to record a new album, so it might be some time, but still I'm excited.