Hold your head even higher/ And into the fire we go!

[timeripple]

I realize that it’s important to practice critical thinking and detailed analysis at the graduate level. But I do wish I could practice it on something I’m, oh, actually interested in. Die, Plato, die! (Sorry, echoindarkness.)

You’d think salespeople would figure out that college campuses are bad places to try to sell people stuff, because, hello, Students. No. Money. (Yes, I realize this is LA. Right next to Bel Air, and stuff. But there's a reason USC, not UCLA, is called the University of Spoiled Children.) Yesterday I’m sitting peacefully tucked in one of the arches outside Royce Hall, trying to read Socrates pontificating on rhetoric, when this girl walks up...

Me: Socrates, why are you such an ass?
Socrates: Phaedrus, buddy! Is that a speech under your himation, or are you just happy to see me? (No, I’m really not making this up. Almost.)
Me: ...
Some Girl: Excuse me. You have beautiful hair. I bet you go to salons a lot.
Me: Um, no, not really. Ever. Except that last time. But no more, because, hello, own credit card now.
Some Girl: Really? Well – I have a promotional package that we’re offering 15 girls to any of our exclusive, really expensive salons...
Me: ...
Some Girl: ... so, if you’d be interested in sharing the offer with a friend, that’s only $10 per month for...
Me: Thanks, but I really don’t go to salons.
Some Girl: Well, okay then. Thanks anyway. *walks away*
Me: ... *bemused giggle*
Socrates: So, clearly, an expert in a particular subject should not be expected to be an expert in every subject, but certainly we can expect him to know everything about his own area of expertise, don't you agree?
Phaedrus: Like, totally, dude. *scoots closer*
Socrates: Sweet. That’s the end. Let’s pray, and go home for dinner. Separately.
Phaedrus & Me: I have to say... this is not where I expected this conversation to end up.

Ye Olde Movie Reviewe: “Les Miserables”. Yeah, the one with Liam Neeson. I confess, I ffwded through most of it. It’s just not the same without the big sappy drama music. Not to mention, WHERE was Enjolras? Wah. Marius looked way too weedy to be the leader of a bunch of revolutionaries, even a bunch of really dumb ones. No wonder Javert was sure the revolution wasn’t going anywhere. With Marius in charge? It’s a wonder they got any gunpowder stolen at all.

Note about me: In two-generation stories like Les Miz or Wuthering Heights, I tend to be more interested in the second half of the story, even if the older generation were pretty young in the first half. This may have contributed to the ffwding, and to the relative number of “times played” on my 10th Anniversary Concert CD. Of course, this means I must now find a two-generation novel in which the second half is a flashback.

Also, Marius sitting on a bench doing the little girly catch-your-eye-cum-come-hither wave at Soup Kitchen!Cosette? Hilarious.

La! but someone has to strike a pose/ And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes! Have been strangely obsessed with the musical version of “The Scarlet Pimpernel” lately (courtesy of, um, 24-hour drop. Ahem). It’s kind of like a cheery imitation-Les Miz, with fashion intrigue. If you’re out to make a splash, cherie/ Do know your haberdashery!

Ye Olde Movie Reviewe: “Legally Blonde”. I have a great and t00by love for this movie, for some reason.

Ye Olde TV Reviewe: “Monarch of the Glen” (first two episodes only so far). I think I am in love.
ETA: Yup. Definitely in love.

Comments

[penguin-beta.livejournal.com]

I realize that it’s important to practice critical thinking and detailed analysis at the graduate level. But I do wish I could practice it on something I’m, oh, actually interested in.

Big, fat, hairy WORD. Die, military and economic reform under Valerian, die!

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Oooh, OUCH.

two generation stories

[cadragongirl.livejournal.com]

oooo. i should introduce you to this really great trilogy by this chinese author that i'm reading (it's an english translation, because then, duh, even i wouldn't be able to read it). i haven't finished the first book, & i don't recommend the third since it doesn't really have anything to do with the other two, but the two generations (one generation per book)both have really, really cool characters. this, however, is only if you are don't mind wading through a bit of odd terminology & lots of chinese kung fu. :)

Re: two generation stories

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Dude, I just waded through half an epic in which people kill and roast things called "onagers". Well, they were translated as something else in the version, but I knew they were really called onagers. The point is, I don't mind weird terminology. Feed me books! And kung fu.

Re: two generation stories

[penguin-beta.livejournal.com]

I love onagers! I wouldn't roast one and (I presume) eat it, though. Perhaps this epic is why they are extinct?

Re: two generation stories

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Food for thought.

*facepalm*

[olivia-cochrane.livejournal.com]

“Les Miserables”. Yeah, the one with Liam Neeson. I confess, I ffwded through most of it. It’s just not the same without the big sappy drama music. Not to mention, WHERE was Enjolras? Wah. Marius looked way too weedy to be the leader of a bunch of revolutionaries, even a bunch of really dumb ones. No wonder Javert was sure the revolution wasn’t going anywhere. With Marius in charge? It’s a wonder they got any gunpowder stolen at all.

OUCH! You wound me to the heart!! I love that movie; it's so beautiful, and the acting is outstanding. Javert, when he dies...ooh... I worship Geoffrey Rush. And Liam Neeson, of course; that movie was the first one in which I noticed what an accomplished actress Claire Danes is-- because of the heartbreaking relationship she and Liam Neeson create in Les Mis. So there :)

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Well, Liam Neeson was awesome. And Geoffrey Rush. And, okay, Cosette was less annoying than usual. I concede those points.

But I stand by what I said about Marius.

[olivia-cochrane.livejournal.com]

But I stand by what I said about Marius.

Ok, I don't care much about him. But he's just a kid. I think that's the point; the only ones who will stand up to the injustice are the kids: the ones who don't feel like they have anything to lose, who are young enough to feel rebellious and angry about everything and also to form a real family sort of automatically. The older ones take care of the little ones, which is why that scene where the little boy is shot is so horrifying.

Ok, I'm done :)

[satakieli.livejournal.com]

Les Miserables a la Liam Neeson: My main recollection is that Claire Danes kept fading in and out of the accent she put on. Because everybody knows French people speak with stage-English accents, y'know. Only problem was she couldn't keep it up.

I watched Stage Beauty a few months ago, though, and it seems that sometime in the intervening years she learned how to sustain a credible accent...

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

I saw part of Stage Beauty when I was staying at a B&B and watching TV for the first time in months. It looked interesting, and then the reception died. I'll have to see if I can find it around here.

[cadragongirl.livejournal.com]

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And thanks for the ecard. And the phone call (which I totally would have answered, except my phone decided to turn itself off. It follows the "show, don't tell" policy). Made me smile. I am wearing my hat in honor of the occasion.

[yukiakari-hime.livejournal.com]

Probably not a useful comment, but:

Dude, Ancient Greeks? So gay. ;)

[yukiakari-hime.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, and happy birthday! I will be trying to call you at some point eventually. :)

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks. And - um, YEAH.

[cadragongirl.livejournal.com]

yay!!! glad you got it & enjoyed & especially for the hat. :D & as to the gay ancient greeks - very, very gay in practically every regard. i do miss them though.

ha - random thought - did you ever finish or even read that horrible roman gory romance novel thing that you got at the classics library book sale?

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Pfff, no. I stopped after something really gross happened to the goat on page two.

Also, as to the gay - as far as I know, there's no actual evidence before the Classical period, or rather the Archaic. Most of the stuff on the Iliad is Classical Athenians imposing their own mores on an already-old text. Or, you know, modern readers reading into the serious subtext. Of which there is lots (remember the Meleager story, M.?).

Just to differentiate between ancient and ancient, you know. penguin_beta, back me up here.