it's also my brother's birthday, but that's a non sequitur

[ladymercury_10]

Aaand once again I appear to have fallen off the planet.  I'm actually online a lot, I just don't have all that much to update about.  Anyway, things have been all right.  I survived midterms--my algebraic disaster was averted by a generous grade curve, and I managed an A on my analysis exam.  Today's adventure was that feeling when you think you're finally getting real analysis, and then you open your book and it isn't words.  Apparently my professor has an extremely subtle plan for us that involves spending two days on uniform continuity when the book cares waaaay more about set closure, compactness, and covers.  Or, at least, I hope he does, because the problem set he assigned for this week is looking pretty darn cryptic at this point. :P  

And then there was Visit All The Libraries.  I had to pick up holds at the public library and the school library.  I've been reading a lot of Batman and Bat-family comics, as well as some regular books.  The last comic I read was one I actually bought as opposed to libraried, and it was the 0 issue of the new Batman and Robin.  I must admit that while I am still irritated by the New 52, it was really good.  I am currently reading To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie Willis.  I think some of you guys (eve11 for sure) told me I should read Connie Willis a long time ago and I finally took you up on it.

Also: there has been a spate of ficathons lately, so although I have posted nothing lately I have been writing.  If you are interested in this recent commentficcery, here is the linkage.  Erm, I don't know about summaries--the first two were for an autumn-themed ficathon and the other was for an Eleven/Amy ficathon, if that helps.

Amy/Rory, for the prompt footsteps in the fog, smoke on the air
Amy/Rory, for the prompt don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore
Eleven, Amy, Rory, for the prompt I didn't want to know who he was, or what you did, or that it didn't mean anything.

That concludes this update.  *end transmission*

Comments

[hamsterwoman]

Congrats on your exam grades!

How are you enjoying To Say Nothing of the Dog? I thought it was delightful, but a big part of its appeal to me is my love for Oxford, and great fondness for Jerome K. Jerome's original Three Men in a Boat.

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I like it so far, but I also find it a bit confusing--I think partly because the narrator is time-lagged, so he is not making a lot of sense at the beginning, and also because I don't know a lot about Oxford except what I learned from The Golden Compass.

[eve11]

It's very much a comedy of manners, with time travel. The plot is something that kind of coalesces in a roundabout way. It took me about 100 pages to really start getting into it, but I quite enjoyed it.

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...this is perhaps a foolish question, but does it lean more towards the "comedy" side or the "historical manners" side? Because I have the double heresy of being an English major who was bored by Pride and Prejudice and a math major who didn't like Flatland because of all the Victorian satire. :P

It has been pretty funny so far, though, although some of the jokes are easy to miss. Like when Ned started describing Verity in purple prose it was just annoying until I realized he was still time-lagged, haha.

[eve11]

I really don't know. I loved the description of the young charge (arg I forget her name, the niece) with all the pink, and the way eg, Ned could tell that it was the victorian spelled "O!" when she exclaimed it. I also loved the description of the sitting room. I've never read Pride & Prejudice or Wuthering Heights or any of those. And like I said it took me a while to get into this one but I did find it very funny. It is a modern take on the historical manners I think? So it can be a bit more scathing and including modern humor. But it's not everyone's cuppa.

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

eg, Ned could tell that it was the victorian spelled "O!" when she exclaimed it.

Hahaha that does sound pretty funny. :D

[heureviolet.livejournal.com]

Yay for getting an A on your exam! Also, I have heard good things about that book...

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am only about 35 pages or so in, but so far it is both funny and clever. It's also been a bit confusing, and every so often there will be a bit of exposition that sticks out rather obviously. But I figure I'll give it some more time, because it is quite entertaining.

[heureviolet.livejournal.com]

Is it a relatively easy read do you think, or quite dense?

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

Like I said, I'm not very far in. If you mean is the prose dense like in a literary way, then no, it's an easy read. But it is fairly conceptual in that it's to do with time-traveling historians.

[heureviolet.livejournal.com]

I suppose I meant a bit of both! The reason I'm asking is because my school readings have been killing my brain lately, so I'd like to pick up a book that's heavier on the ~feeling~ over the thinking... the premise definitely sounds really neat, though, so thanks for the rec! ♥

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

I don't think it would hurt your brain, no. I haven't run into any, like, hardcore quantum theory brain-breakage or anything (although I like that stuff too, sometimes). I have been a bit confused, but more in a wait, what is happening way, which is partly because the narrator is, at the beginning of the book, very disoriented himself.

[openmicnights.livejournal.com]

Someone told me to read this book a long time ago, but I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it now. Is it worth it? I have a thing for time travelling stories, might as well pick it up to see. :)

Also, congratulation on the good grades :D

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

I don't know yet, I'm only like 35 pages in. It's funny and clever, but I have also been a little confused (although that may have been partly intentional, as the narrator is kind of disoriented at the beginning).

And thank you!