ReadingLirael, As You Like It, The English Patient, Heart of Darkness, Suikoden III, Candidate for Goddess
Watching House, Rick Mercer's Monday Report, Gilmore Girls, Scrubs, Corner Gas, Aishiteruze Baby, Prince of Tennis, Hikaru no Go
Playing The Bard's Tale, Katamari Damacy, Curse of Monkey Island, Final Fantasy VI, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Pretty Barbie Dressup Party Final Fantasy X-2(group gaming)
Back-burner Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, Star Ocean: The Second Story, Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, Planescape: Torment, Final Fantasy VII
Obsessing Firefly, Erik and Ray, Impulse/Bart Allen, Ford Prefect, Monkey Island, Nostalgia.
Upcoming Things of Importance January 5 First day of classes January 14 Birthday party January 16 Jaryn and Matt Are Old Day
layout
Is by Meimi, that wonderful Goddess who brings joy and happiness to the hearts of Ingrids.
This time, Meimi brought joy by doing a layout of Isumi Shinichirou and Waya Yoshitaka, of Hikaru no Go. It is full of wub.
.
12/1/2001 03:39:17 PM
J. K. Rowlings beats Diana Wynne Jones in one minor way, I realized while taking peoples coats.
She has some damn good slash fanfic written about her characters.
Last I checked, fanfic did not exist for Diana Wynne Jones. I think I'm happy about that.
12/1/2001 09:17:46 AM
Gomen nasai, Bell-sama I should think more carefully before I type. Was in rant mode.
Maybe, someday, I will read Harry Potter, and make a thorough comparison. But not while I'm bitter since I'm like to be highly biased. And the statement in question was made based on what the other two people who've read Diana Wynne Jones have said when I've grumped about the Harry Potter phenomenon to them. Both have actually read the books in question. Although, maybe I should check to see if Jinxer has read A Sudden Wild Magic, although a comparison between the two would be woefully unfair, since it's an actual adult's book, and Harry Potter is a children's book.
Ah well, I hope I didn't offend anyone with my unfair ranting session. ^_^
You have no idea how happy that makes me! Even if it isn't someone I know, someone out there knows about the wonderful Diana Wynne Jones, knows about the animated Howl's Moving Castle (Digimon animator? That's fine, I don't want to wait until 2003 though!!!) and someone is peeved at Rowlings for getting more attention! Finally!!!!!!!!
Ahem. As some people know, I have a passionate boycot going for all Harry Potter merchandise, movies, and yes, the books. I haven't read them. I don't want to read them. Because I know Diana Wynne Jones. Who is a Goddess. And who know one has ever heard of. ~cries~ Diana Wynne Jones has been writing since the 1970s. Childrens fantasy. All so damn funny and moving and real and . . . and ugh! Her "worst" books ever could beat the pants out of Harry Potter in every single way humanly possible. Yes, even Crown of Dalemark and A Sudden Wild Magic. And she is the main reason I'm bitter. This wonderful, talented, funny woman, is -constantly- being thrown up as "someone to read after J. K. Rowlings" or "while you're waiting for the next Harry Potter book, why not try . . ." ~twitches~ Diana Wynne Jones has -never- been nominated for a Hugo. One of the most painful, gutwrenching, beautiful, sad, tragic, funny, hilarious books ever written, I think, is her children's novel The Homeward Bounders. It's brilliant. I cried for hours after reading it. I don't -care- if she's a childrens author. She is one of the best authors I've ever read. I'm serious. Her books work on -so- many levels. She's been a bit of a mentor to Neil Gaiman, I think (she's mentioned in the ending notes of American Gods and I'm very curious what she told him the novel would end up being . . .) and the -only- reason we can get her books up here right now is because they're being reprinted. Because of the Harry Potter phenomenon. Which is good. But dammit! The Chrestomanci books are so unspeakably ugly!
A few books in particular are mentioned in conjection with Those Books.
Charmed Life the story of an orphaned boy and his witch sister who are taken off to live with the rich and mysterious Chrestomanci after the sister, Gwendolen, writes him a heart-wrenching letter and nothing's as it seems and it's all presented as something so -normal-.
The Lives of Christopher Chant. I can remember the -day- I read this book (March 26th and March 27th, 2000). It's the magical cramp curing book about a boy named Christopher who can bring things back from his "dreams" and things just start getting intense when his uncle finds out about his little talent.
Witch Week. I have two copies of this book. I'm not sure why. I think it's because of the bizarre fact that the classroom name seems to be changed in every new printing . . . I think this is the one that's compared most closely to Those Books because it involves a boarding school and witch-burnings. Not one of the strongest but still damn good!
The Magicians of Caprona. Took me -ages- to find this book. I love it dearly. It reads a bit like a Shakeaspearan comedy to me, only . . . not. I need to re-read it. Italian city-states and the most fascinating magical system and some serious gut-wrenching sickly feeling.
The Eight Days of Luke. One of my favourites. David's stuck at home with his horrible aunt and uncle, awful cousin, and his awful cousin's sickly wife for vacation. He's miserable, they're miserable, he yells out a random string of words to make himself feel better, a wall collapses, and a red-headed imp of a boy named Luke appears. It's so good. Even though it's one of her earliest, I think (1975?) it's just brimming over with such -realness-.
Diana Wynne Jones is also the Queen of Not-Doing-Sequels. I'm serious. She -never- does a direct sequel. Everything is stand alone.
Oh yes. The book that is being animated.
Howl's Moving Castle. Sophie, the eldest of three girl's, and daughter of a hatter, watches as her younger sisters go out to seek their fortunes, and resigns herself to a life of boredom, being the eldest. Until the witch of waste comes into the hatshop, gets very pissy at her, and turns her into an old woman as revenge. Sophie leaves and ventures into the ever-moving castle of the evil heart-sucking wizard Howl . . . Hilarious. Heart-wrenching. Mind-bending. Sicky. Howl is so . . . so indescribable. I named my Mannekin Howl. I can't wait to see what they do with it. It makes me think of back in the day, when anime would be produced based on classic children's books like Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, Little Women, and The Secret Garden (I think). It's suiting. I want to see how they adapt it. Admittedly, lots of it is in the narration, but if it's well done, I think they could pull it off (and beat the crap out of the damn Harry Potter movie too, you don't get to be animated, bidaiiiii!). Besides, anyone who's read Howl's Moving Castle -has- to wonder what Wizard Howl would look like . . . Don't tell me he wouldn't make the best bloody looking bishounen ever. ~fans self~
Point? I'm bitter. But I'm happy and sparkly to see someone else mention my adored DWJ, albeit briefly.
Someday I'm going to get other people reading Diana Wynne Jones. Someday. I wish I hadn't given that extra copy of Charmed Life to my little cousin. Oh well, it was worth a try . . .
I now have the urge to re-read everything I have. Where to start . . .
11/27/2001 09:35:59 PM
I have decided one (or both) of the following ideas should be implemented for pre-college/university school levels.
The first is actually the brain child of my physics teacher. Pay the students to go to school. But no, not only that, pay them according to their grades. If they get 100% in a class, they get 100% of their "sallary", 90% in the class means 90% of the total sallary . . . etc. And, if they -fail- the class, they have to pay in instead of getting paid. I think it would be good incentive. And then we wouldn't have to worry about working and stuff. Yes, yes, I know, getting an education is supposed to be a great gift, but honestly, do I really care if I pass a test on Canadian short stories? Does it have -anything- to do with my goals in life? Ish. And if people insist upon throwing up the "School is your job right now" thing in peoples faces when they don't show up . . . My parents get paid for their job.
Second, blow the whole term/semester/whatever system. Just give us a class. One class. All day, every day, until we get through the damn thing. What? Okay, yes, it would be boring, but -think- of it. You wouldn't have to worry about writing a final five months after you actually learned the stuff. You wouldn't have to worry about this paper being due on the same day as that test. It would be . . . idyllic. And God, half of the time all I am doing is Math or Physics all day, every day, every night . . . Just make it -official-.
I can handle a heavy workload, I can. It's just the matter of a -pointlessly- heavy workload. What is the point of researching a Canadian murder for a Canadian Literature class? Someone? anyone?
And dude, getting money for school would kick some major ass.
11/26/2001 10:19:33 PM
Some final patriotism for the night. Go find an Arrogant Worms cd. Buy it. Listen to it. Worship it.
When I look around me, I can't believe what I see It seems as if this country has lost its will to live The economy is lousy, we barely have an army But we can still stand proudly cuz Canada's really big
We're the second largest country on this planet earth And if Russia keeps on shrinking then soon we'll be first (As long as we keep Quebéc)
The USA has tanks and Switzerland has banks They can keep them thanks, they just don't amount When you get down to it, you find out what the truth is It isn't what you do with it, it's the size that counts
Most people will tell you that France is pretty large But you can fit fourteen France's into this land of ours (It'd take a whole lot of workd, it'd take a whole lot of work)
We're larger than Malaysia, almost as big as Asia We're bigger than Australia and it's a continent So big we seldom bother to go see one another Though we often go to other countries for vacation
Our mountains are very pointy, our Prairies are not The rest is kind of bumpy, but man do we have a lot (We've got a whole lot of land, we've got a whole lot of land)
So stand up and be proud and sing out very loud We stand out from the crowd cuz Canada's really big
Remember, this was brought to you by lack of sleep and caffeine and people telling me to blog more. Bidaiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!
11/26/2001 10:01:06 PM
Finally, some thoughts on Hikaru no Go. Damn you, Bell-sama! >_< Like I need any more addictions.
There's maple leaves! Bweeeee! Maple leaves! And sakura! Can it can any better? Lipstick has now gone up in my estimation. Especially purple lipstick. Particularly if it's worn by guys. Hikaru - Satsuki's hair, Shuichi's body. What? He doesn't remind anyone else of Shuichi? It's not just the Shindo thing I tell you . . . Touya - scary scary obsessive little boy with a bad yet oddly appealing haircut. And he does indeed look like a little tiny Xellos. ^_^ Tsutsui - Sakano. Enough said. "Shindo-kun!!!!!!" What's his face . . . the Kaio captain. Does he remind anyone else of Tatsumi from Yami no Matsuei? In, well, pretty much every single possible aspect. Waya-insei is unspeakably cute. Mitani - Is Yuki the Japanese boy's name of the new millenium or something?
A manga meant for boy's in middle school should not be this addictive.
Nor should fanfic for a series of books I have no intention of reading. Damn you good slash writers! Damn you all!!!!!!
11/26/2001 09:49:27 PM
I fully believe in being careful with people you meet over the internet.
But, I am also a very trusting little cynical teenager (ja, ja, walking contradiction). And I believe if you talk to a person for four years almost every night and many mornings and they use you as a charity cause to send used books to then . . . well, come on, modern day paranoia doesn't go -that- far! Sometimes you have to think - if I were a psycho white slave trader stalker pedophile from hell how far -would- I go?
What's the point of this? I love my Fiora angel. ^_^
11/26/2001 08:34:00 PM
And now, a patriotic moment, Canadian style:
My country's bigger than most And if asked I boast 'cause I'm really proud So I shout it loud Though our numbers are few We will welcome you
Although we don't have history Gold medal winning teams Heroes or prisoners World famous volcanoes Still what we've got's glorious
Cuz we've got rocks and trees And trees and rocks And rocks and trees And trees and rocks And rocks and trees And trees and rocks And rocks and trees And trees and rocks And water
Cuz we've got rocks and trees And trees and rocks And rocks and trees And trees and rocks And rocks and trees And trees and rocks And rocks and trees And trees and rocks And water
In Canada Canada Ca-na-da!
11/25/2001 10:08:04 PM
I think I will look up Sandy Scott's address in the phone book, walk up there, and punch his smug stupid assine face in.
As some may know, I attend church. And our church recently got a new interim minister. Who happens to be openly gay. Sandy Scott is the minister at the -other- United Church in the city. The rich united church. And he said recently, from the pulpit, words to the effect of "Poor Westley [our church is Westley United], they have a gay minister."
Sandy Scott and many members of the rich church (Calvary) believe that Westley is going to disintigrate and they can buy the church building from us and move in. 'cause it's nicer.
