two if by meme
Jul. 29th, 2020 05:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jazzfishWhat are you reading?
A slow reread of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, for the first time since it came out in ... 2004? That sounds right, clear memories of lugging it to theatre classes (and giving a copy to my RenLit prof for xmas). It is a delicious book, one that requires savouring. I don't think I'd be capable of reading it quickly.
Ebook, reread of Sherwood Smith's Lhind the Spy, because comfort-fluff was required and the Lhind books deliver.
What did you just finish reading?
Elizabeth Bear's space opera Ancestral Night. It was inexplicably slow going at first. Then it became all-too-explicably slow going when for around a hundred and twenty pages the protagonist first had no one to talk to but herself, and then engaged in socio-philosophical debates with the captured antagonist. It picked up again once more characters showed up, but that middle slog... ugh.
What do you think you'll read next?
I'm four chapters into JS&MN, it's hard to conceive of "next."
Viashadowkat, have you ever:
Been to an NFL game?
Yes, as part of a Boy Scout (Order of the Arrow maybe?) thing. In high school, I went to a Washington Racist Slurs game at RFK and passed out a bunch of bright yellow seat-pads for folks to sit on. Afterwards we got to watch the game from ground level. You can't actually see much at ground level.
Been to Canada?
*looks around him*
Visited Florida?
Twice: once with a Boy Scout trip on an 85-foot historical sailing ship, once in 2010 for Emily's birthday.
Visited Mexico?
Again twice, in winter 2013 (Los Cabos) and 2014 (Ajijic, south of Guadalajara), to fight off Vancouver SAD.
Visited Vegas?
Nope. No real interest, either. Though some of the historical stuff might be interesting. Ask me again after the next time I reread Last Call.
Eaten alone at a restaurant?
Frequently. Food-and-book is among my ideas of a Good Time.
Ability to read music?
Yep. I can sight-read bass clef easily, tenor with a brief mental shift, and alto with mild difficulty. I can puzzle out treble if I have to, but as I told my viola teacher, "I don't speak violin."
Rode a motorcycle?
Nope. Though I'm now close to three people in various stages of motorcycle-license-acquisition, so it's not impossible that I might passenge on one at some point.
Ridden a horse?
A couple of times? Most recently in 2014, when our Team-Building Exercise for work involved a trail ride. Meh.
Stayed in a hospital?
Overnight, once. I had tubes put in my ears sometime before I turned five and have faint memories of the experience.
Donated blood?
Yes, but not recently. I got out of the habit when the Red Cross decided I was a mad cow because I lived outside the US prior to 1980. They eased up on that, but then when I came back from Ajijic I was a plague risk for a year and fell out of the habit again. And now there's nowhere local (within 150 km) that I can donate.
Been snow skiing?
Once, on a church youth-group trip in seventh grade. I had no idea what I was doing and was a menace to myself and other people on the slope, and they rightfully booted me off.
Been to Disney World or Disney Land?
The one in Florida, for Xmas '95. First time since returning from Germany that the Taylor family didn't spend Xmas driving to and from Arkansas. Too little too late.
Slept outside?
In a tent, frequently when younger. I don't know that I've ever slept outside without at least a tent.
Driven a stick shift?
Never did. Emily drove stick exclusively and I kept meaning to learn, but didn't get around to it.
Ridden in an 18 wheeler?
I don't think so, no, but it seems like the kind of thing I ought to have done.
Driven a boat?
Not one with an engine. I've sailed tiny one-or-two-person sailboats, and canoed and kayaked.
Eaten Escargot?
Nope.
Been on a cruise?
Nope, unless you count ferries.
Run out of gas?
Nope.
Been on TV?
I don't think so.
Eaten Sushi?
Not recently enough. Among the things I miss about Vancouver is the availability of decent cheap sushi. (I have only rarely had Really Good sushi, because the cheap stuff is frequently more than good enough for me.)
A slow reread of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, for the first time since it came out in ... 2004? That sounds right, clear memories of lugging it to theatre classes (and giving a copy to my RenLit prof for xmas). It is a delicious book, one that requires savouring. I don't think I'd be capable of reading it quickly.
Ebook, reread of Sherwood Smith's Lhind the Spy, because comfort-fluff was required and the Lhind books deliver.
What did you just finish reading?
Elizabeth Bear's space opera Ancestral Night. It was inexplicably slow going at first. Then it became all-too-explicably slow going when for around a hundred and twenty pages the protagonist first had no one to talk to but herself, and then engaged in socio-philosophical debates with the captured antagonist. It picked up again once more characters showed up, but that middle slog... ugh.
What do you think you'll read next?
I'm four chapters into JS&MN, it's hard to conceive of "next."
Via
shadowkat, have you ever:Been to an NFL game?
Yes, as part of a Boy Scout (Order of the Arrow maybe?) thing. In high school, I went to a Washington Racist Slurs game at RFK and passed out a bunch of bright yellow seat-pads for folks to sit on. Afterwards we got to watch the game from ground level. You can't actually see much at ground level.
Been to Canada?
*looks around him*
Visited Florida?
Twice: once with a Boy Scout trip on an 85-foot historical sailing ship, once in 2010 for Emily's birthday.
Visited Mexico?
Again twice, in winter 2013 (Los Cabos) and 2014 (Ajijic, south of Guadalajara), to fight off Vancouver SAD.
Visited Vegas?
Nope. No real interest, either. Though some of the historical stuff might be interesting. Ask me again after the next time I reread Last Call.
Eaten alone at a restaurant?
Frequently. Food-and-book is among my ideas of a Good Time.
Ability to read music?
Yep. I can sight-read bass clef easily, tenor with a brief mental shift, and alto with mild difficulty. I can puzzle out treble if I have to, but as I told my viola teacher, "I don't speak violin."
Rode a motorcycle?
Nope. Though I'm now close to three people in various stages of motorcycle-license-acquisition, so it's not impossible that I might passenge on one at some point.
Ridden a horse?
A couple of times? Most recently in 2014, when our Team-Building Exercise for work involved a trail ride. Meh.
Stayed in a hospital?
Overnight, once. I had tubes put in my ears sometime before I turned five and have faint memories of the experience.
Donated blood?
Yes, but not recently. I got out of the habit when the Red Cross decided I was a mad cow because I lived outside the US prior to 1980. They eased up on that, but then when I came back from Ajijic I was a plague risk for a year and fell out of the habit again. And now there's nowhere local (within 150 km) that I can donate.
Been snow skiing?
Once, on a church youth-group trip in seventh grade. I had no idea what I was doing and was a menace to myself and other people on the slope, and they rightfully booted me off.
Been to Disney World or Disney Land?
The one in Florida, for Xmas '95. First time since returning from Germany that the Taylor family didn't spend Xmas driving to and from Arkansas. Too little too late.
Slept outside?
In a tent, frequently when younger. I don't know that I've ever slept outside without at least a tent.
Driven a stick shift?
Never did. Emily drove stick exclusively and I kept meaning to learn, but didn't get around to it.
Ridden in an 18 wheeler?
I don't think so, no, but it seems like the kind of thing I ought to have done.
Driven a boat?
Not one with an engine. I've sailed tiny one-or-two-person sailboats, and canoed and kayaked.
Eaten Escargot?
Nope.
Been on a cruise?
Nope, unless you count ferries.
Run out of gas?
Nope.
Been on TV?
I don't think so.
Eaten Sushi?
Not recently enough. Among the things I miss about Vancouver is the availability of decent cheap sushi. (I have only rarely had Really Good sushi, because the cheap stuff is frequently more than good enough for me.)