intertext: (bujold book)
Friday, August 24th, 2007 08:42 am
Seen at [livejournal.com profile] brisingamen's

What are you reading right now?

The Virtu by Sarah Monette, which I'm really enjoying, The Accidental by Ali Smith, which I have to confess I'm not, but want to read because [livejournal.com profile] lidocafe recommended it. Also I'm dipping into various non-fiction things and some stuff for work.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?

It depends. If there's something good on the "fast reads" shelf at the library, I'll read that. Otherwise, I've just got [livejournal.com profile] sartorias's Inda in paperback and have been eying that.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read?

Um, I think Norman Mailer's Armies of the Night which I loathed because Mailer is/was such an egotistical chauvinistic prick and the book is autobiographical. I have to confess, too, that I really hated the two Becket novels that I had to read for a 20th century lit course.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?


I've been proselytizing for David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas ever since I read it. Now my friend [livejournal.com profile] lidocafe, who read it on my recommendation, is doing it too. There will be a curious upward blip in the sales of the novel here in Victoria, I hope.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they?

The ones at my local branch know me by sight. When I was a child, the children's librarian at the downtown library knew me by name and used to order books on my recommendation.

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you’re on the computer? While you’re having sex?While you’re driving?

Yes, yes, TV but not movies, yes, yes (but usually scholarly or work-related), no, definitely not.


What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?

The last Harry Potter. Not because it was "so good" but because I wanted to finish it before the spoilers hit the fan. And, to be honest, I couldn't put it down. And I wanted to find out what happened.
intertext: (fillyjonk)
Thursday, July 12th, 2007 09:50 am
The rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying anything random, like your favorite lyric to your current favorite song. Or your favorite kind of sandwich. Something random. Whatever you like.
2. I respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.
3. You WILL update your LJ with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be asked, you will ask them five questions.

Questions from [livejournal.com profile] chickenfeet2003

1. What are the pros and cons of living in Victoria? Would I like it?

The pros: the weather (apart from the heat I was moaning about yesterday): probably Canada's most temperate climate with less rain than Vancouver. The surroundings - spectacularly beautiful mountains and ocean and forest, within a ten minute drive/bus ride from almost anywhere in the city. It's small, so you tend to know people if you've lived here any length of time, and you can navigate it easily.
The cons: It's small, and not the most ... exciting city in the world. The range of restaurants etc is improving, and there is a small but thriving arts/cultural community, but Toronto or Vancouver it ain't in terms of concerts, theatre etc. It's on an island, and it takes several hours to get off it. It takes as long to get to Vancouver as it now takes Londoners to get to Paris. It's a retirement community and will continue to grow as one - seeing as you are I believe only one year younger than I, that would probably not deter you :) It can be boring for the "young," however, and real estate prices are astronomical - worse, I think, than Toronto.
I think, although I don't feel I know you _very_ well, that you probably would like it. There's excellent Rugby and Football (in the Brit sense) - after all, we just hosted some of the FIFA under 20 World Cup. You might miss the culinary and gustatory opportunities of Toronto, but we're improving, as I mentioned.

2. Is there something you would like to do really well but know you never will?

Um - if it's a question of _knowing_ I never will, probably any number of athletic things. I used to figure skate and would still like to do it and improve, but I'm not allowed to now since my hip replacement. I'd like to be able to ride a bicycle well enough to go on bike tours or even ride to work, but it's something that I've just never been any good at - I get too hot and my legs are not really strong.

3. What do you like to drink?

A surprising number of things, but Gin is my tipple of choice - G&T preferably. My favourite Gin du jour is South, which is infused with a touch of lemon, but it's expensive, so I tend to drink Bombay Sapphire. I also like really good Scotch, but rarely drink it, a variety of beers (I tend to dark ales), and am becoming more of a wine drinker since going to France. I also drink Oolong or Darjeeling tea, really good coffee, lemonade and Perrier with lemon. My favourite bottled water is Evian, but I'm learning that it's evil, so I'm tending now to go for stuff in glass bottles like Pellegrino or Perrier. As you can tell, I have expensive tastes.

4. What animal do you most identify with?

Dogs, obviously.

5. Tattoos/piercings? If not, why not?

I've had ordinary pierced ears since I was 16, but got a second piercing in one ear when I passed my PhD comps. If I ever complete my dissertation I may get a small tattoo - what has kept me from that is some nervousness about the process, but more about shyness about being a middle-aged geeky person going to a tattoo parlour.
intertext: (bujold book)
Monday, July 9th, 2007 08:25 am
What book am I? (gakked from [livejournal.com profile] a_d_medievalist

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intertext: (bujold book)
Saturday, June 23rd, 2007 10:19 am
This is gakked from [livejournal.com profile] frumiousb who met my children's book list and raised me the Booker Prizes...

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