Home again, home again, jiggity jig

Yes, mes cheres, j'ai ete retournee (is that the right conjugation - been a while). Mucho fun in MI with my dearest HH sisters. And nothing much to speak of in the way of airport troubles, and so we are grateful. But it is good to be home, in one's own place, with the prospect of finally seeing "Nicholas Nickolby" (what is the spelling?) tonight with Jules and poss. Mom.

It's been so very long, I really have naught to say that I haven't disclosed to Mom and Jules upstairs. I have showered, I have put on comfy PJ's (albeit at dinnertime - comfy PJ's forever!), I have rid myself of my bags and have yet to return to the fray of work a la e-mail, which I must do and dread. Annie is the lyrics genius, and I am grateful ever so that she's willing to lend her talent to Thrushbeard. Mucho fun sitting up with her and Anne whilst Cynthia puttered about and Anastasia obligingly napped and making up the whole "Cassandra shooting down potential suitors scene" a la musical-form-rap. I think it was Anne's idea to give suitor one a French accent, and suitor two then became Scottish. Also, talked til 4 in the morning re: the CGF and ways to poss. get more feedback from our readers. Make them more active rather than just receptive. (Or at least heartily encourage participation.)

And...two more weeks til school. Do only the students dread this time of year? Ah no, mes cheres, ah no! I would much prefer to be doing something lollygaggingish, but lesson plan books await me. Although I think I have a pretty good plan of action to kick off this year - or at least I *hope* it goes over well. Good to talk to Cynthia's husband re: what he's done in this field. Must remember to look into the "Prove it" series. Also need to purchase a copy of "The Four Last Things" by Martin. It'll be good to delve into theology and philosophy and apologetics again. But that's not to say that the niggling "needless anxiety" (as the priest prays against every mass) that somehow I'll have forgotten how to speak or teach does not leave. *sigh*

I wish I had more to add. This seems pitifully short and factual. Le sigh. Good to be home. I suppose receptivity and not 24-7 creativity is good, too.

[Edit: Thought of something I have!] Right, so I bought and finished the latest Sword and Sorceress (XX for those counting, and no I still haven't heard back re: "Music for Medina"), and although most of the stories were just plain bad, the ones towards the back did improve and Diana Paxton's "we-love-the-Norse-we-hate-'the-White-Christ'" obligatory Bera story wasn't quite as offensive as her more recent fare has been.

But there was one story called "Celtic Beauty" which was basically "Deirdre & the Red Branch" which is this actual Celtic fairy tale. She didn't change names or anything, although if memory of the original serves, she did change the ending (must re-read). But a) I was a little shocked that she should have more or less stolen whole cloth and b) intrigued nonetheless to read another person's take on a woman with this astounding beauty (since that's the basis of Niamh). But, although the story started well, its ending fizzled in many regards. She took the route of "Dierdriu's" beauty being a curse (rather than the traditional, and Christian take that beauty is not the curse, but fallen man's reaction to beauty. I put before you not only "Snow White" but even The Iliad, which Christendom [the so-called medieval ages] saw as a very Christian story in its basic morality). And so she explored the idea that the bad king would want to own D., so D. wasn't free, so the whole story's about D. finding freedom. Which, OK, I can buy that interp. - I've got a bit of it once Niamh gets to Ogrin's area, it's a valid thing to look into. But it was done shallowly - I never got the impression that D. was really hindered by her beauty. It was just TOLD to me, in the same breath as I saw her relative freedom. Again, the fault lay in the telling of the story, not ness. in (all) the morals behind it or what she was exploring.

I get frustrated when stories - or anything - is shallow. When you take a virtue and commercialize it. "I want to be free!" the libertine cries. Cheap statements are made, PC versions of virtues - blech! And it isn't that I don't want or think that it's worthy to write about being a good neighbor, or learning your strengths, or gaining rightful power, or finding freedom, or getting along with different people, or whatever it may be - it's just that although these statements are made in earnest, they are made without depth. And worse, so many of those who make them, don't realize how shallow their sentiments are. Because that's what they are - sentiments, doggerel, something to salve the soul rather than get to the root of the problem. "His knowledge of his soul skimmed merely." Eustace as a dragon having to do more than just rub off a few scales in order to be changed back. "Further up and further in!" It's like that purile song, "Let there be peace on earth." The sentiment is great, but you're just singing, and in five minutes you're going to go back to your car and start bickering with your family. We accept false virtues, or rather virtues applied to nothing - we should be helping people in this third world nation! Well, yes, you should. But you should do the harder thing and start with yourself. It's the speck in your brother's eye and the plank in your own. I'm being vague - I feel vague - well I was up at 5:30 and slept only on the plane! Whaddaya want? ;) I want to start the "anti-vague-virtue league." Of course, then when you start doing definitive action, going in a definitive course - you've got to be sure, as Lewis also reminds us, that you're headed in the right direction! [End of Edit And they all rejoiced, huzzah!]

Mood: Home at last, home at last, thank God almighty, I'm home at last! ;P
Music: Into the Woods in prep for DJ's performance I'll be seeing Friday! =D
Coming Soon: Chicago on DVD! Long live musicals! (And now I can steal those "Cell Block Tango" dance moves more easily....)

Looksee What Jules Made! And while you're at it, check out the picture at the top of Julie's Page. Very prettyful. Link to Bearskin website.


This is just great! Neville Longbottom forever! Why isn't it Neville Longbottom and the Entirely Too-Long Where's-My-Editor? Book?


Today's quizzes brought to you by the letter "aroo-ugh?": Hmmm, guess amazingly well I have....


Passed the tests, you have. Become a Jedi Knight,
you shall.


Is the Force With You!!?
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Well, the options were weird...hope I wouldn't do this!


I would hide the Ring.


.:What would you do with the One Ring?(pics):.
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