I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have my laptop back! And it was still under warranty by just a few weeks, so the repairs were free! And what with my only having two exams left, I will actually have the time and energy to be writing for you all (and Feministe, and FWD/Forward, and a long overdue review for Radical Readers, and I’m coming up on the deadline for some freelance stuff too, goodness me). That is, I hope so, but then I think optimism is in order what with having Snowy [1] back with me. I’ve had a fantastic semester, by which I mean I’ve worked ridiculously hard while moving house (sort of, it’s a bizarre little story) and somehow managed to score pretty excellent marks, which is quite a relief after not being sure whether I was capable of studying anymore after my extended period of illness last year. And, as I think I’ve spent about the last two months telling you, I have so much I want to say, and now I will actually be able to say some of it! I’ve got lots spinning in my head about cultural difference and my dislike of the television show Glee and community and break-taking and youthfulness and even disability, particularly blindness, in Greek mythology.
I granted myself a bit of a holiday this past weekend, hanging out by the seaside and reading books! (I’m on book site Goodreads!) I borrowed the first couple of books in Alexander McCall Smith’s Sunday Philosophy Club series, which is about an Edinburgh philosopher named Isabel Dalhousie whose ethical musings lead her into all sorts of trouble and mysteries! Needless to say, I was thinking of the Down Under femblogosphere’s favourite philosopher, Deborah of In a strange land, all the way through. (Not the mystery-solving part, though, but you never know, Deborah might have a secret life I don’t know about!) If you’ve not read any of Smith’s work, he’s thoroughly charming and entertaining and he has a habit of writing rounded, engaging and pretty delightful heroines. I also read Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, which is a YA book about a lady’s maid who gets locked up in a tower with her mistress, a princess who won’t marry a distinctly uncharming prince. Hale’s built an interesting world with a set of religious/cultural systems I found perhaps even more interesting than the story, but then I like to fancy myself a bit of an amateur anthropologist. So if you’re into YA, that’s one you might consider. I’ve just started Kim Edwards’ The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, which I’ve been meaning to read for years, but I don’t think I’ll have much time to read it now I have my laptop back and can start preparing for my remaining exams in earnest. I will be extremely glad when I never have to read Gulliver’s Travels ever again, let me tell you.
Life is heading firmly towards the rosy, readers, and I hope the same can be said for you. In any event, what have you been up to of late? Are there any posts you think I ought to read that I will have missed in my computerless state? Anything else you want to tell me about?
[1] Yes, I named my laptop. Her full name is Snowy Princess.
my laptop is called Greywacke Jones, after a cat in a Hairy Maclary childrens book
*stamp of approval* :D
Caught your post on my feedreader, and clicked on through to make sure I would actually get around to leaving the comment I wanted to make, and kept on reading, and found your lovely remark. Thank you! I’m all rosy with pleasure.
Ahem. I’ll just get around to the comment that I was going to make. Which is…
I hope your lecturers and tutors are appreciating you, and hugging themselves with delight at the thought of having you in their classes. I’m just a run of the mill two-bit academic, but even so, when I come across a student who is as insightful as you, I shiver with terror as they push and push and push me, and then do my best to meet the challenge, and do as much as I can to encourage them to believe in themselves, and to think about perhaps carrying on to graduate work. I think I would be both terrified and delighted to find you in one of my classes. Terrified, because I would see you as someone to be nurtured and grown, and I would be so worried about getting it wrong, and delighted, because I would see you as someone to be nurtured and grown, because you would leap far ahead of me.
Blue Milk has had some fabulous posts of late, so head on there for some excellent feminist writing. And should you be in need of some straight-forward pleasure, may I offer my Chocolate Self-saucing Pudding.
You are so welcome! :) Blue Milk is great, isn’t she, and I bookmark all your food posts, yum yum!
Aww. Aww. Aww. I have to go to bed right now so I can fall asleep with a big smile on my face. Thank you very very much. Don’t underestimate yourself though!
My laptop’s name is Harriet, after Harriet Vane.
So glad to hear things are looking up for you :-)
Aw how nice is it to stop by to make a comment and overhear people saying lovely things about yourself?!
I wanted to add that my laptop has a name too – bela luta – came to me in a dream and I wondered the next morning if it was badly recalled Spanish, because I speak some, but then I discovered it is Portuguese, which I don’t speak at all, and it means “beautiful flight” – in my dream I named our daughter that. Anyway, weird.
Yay! I’m glad things are going well for you.
My laptop is called ‘Dame Dolores’ after a nun in an obscure Victorian novel.
Oh this is hilarious :D. Thanks you guiz.
Wonderful to hear things are looking up.
Based on my recent experiences as a student, I’d imagine the fact that I’ll bet you never ask “Is this examinable?” is enough to make their day. :) I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and I hope the course maintains a level worthy of your efforts.
Cheers Ariane. :)