tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post8522002078862974463..comments2023-05-24T10:46:26.458+01:00Comments on Through Myself and Back Again: Some things I want to Bring To Your Attention. And a meme. Thank you.Naomi J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10918322634249814999noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-20062314645237589942008-01-10T18:18:00.000+00:002008-01-10T18:18:00.000+00:00Sorry, should have responded to your question abou...Sorry, should have responded to your question about Lewis's trilogy... they were all odd, but got progressively odder. <BR/><BR/>I really liked the first one, although it's probably the kind of thing that i like but don't expect anyone else to like. There's a brilliantly funny (in that very dry, very English way) satirical bit in it where the main character (a linguist, loosely based on Tolkien) has to translate a speech by an uber-capitalist imperialist about the wonderful achievements of the human race into the language of an "unfallen" race who basically live in a primitive-communist utopia ruled benevolently by a (literal) angel...<BR/><BR/>The second one involves the "Adam and Eve" of Venus, the Devil in a human body (who is effectively creepy), and the main protagonist having to prevent another "Fall". It's unfortunately marred by rather extreme and all-persuasive sexism. (I <I>strongly</I> suspect it was the "negative inspiration" for the main plot of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy.)<BR/><BR/>The third one is... a lot more difficult to describe. It's set on Earth, involves a sinister biotechnology institute with the initials NICE, an attempt at satire of the UK academic establishment which comes from a very strange position, and Merlin and Arthur Pendragon. The main protagonist of the first 2 books is reduced to a somewhat peripheral figure, but made to embody a heavily symbolism-laden (and only partially Christian) ideal of human perfection. Oh yeah, and there's a bit of it told from the perspective of a (normal, non-speaking, non-sentient) bear.<BR/><BR/>Like i said, odd... somehow, tho, i had you marked as someone who might be quite into them...stevethehydrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334234855643025449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-49631552799283545662008-01-08T19:22:00.000+00:002008-01-08T19:22:00.000+00:00Heh. They were all removed in one go, under genera...Heh. They were all removed in one go, under general anaesthetic, which is why I can't remember exactly how many. I have resolved to ask a dentist - if I ever visit one again (starting to seem unlikely). <BR/><BR/>Re: your response to 2) - you think I should avoiding dating Irish people?? Well, I am now happily attached on what I hope is, and expect to be, a permanent basis. She does have an Irish passport, along with her other one, though...Naomi J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10918322634249814999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-56048741213358484362008-01-08T19:06:00.000+00:002008-01-08T19:06:00.000+00:00First response: "It is 2008?" - on our brief buyi...First response: "It is 2008?" - on our brief buying trip to seattle ended up with TV for short period of time which reminds us again why we don't have a TV but there was a commercial talking about 2009 - which confused me, "Is it 2009?" Linda said no, and I said I have a hard enough time getting the months right, why do they want to confuse me with years now? <BR/><BR/>As for the british, well, they probably have invented the majority of insulting words regarding those with mental illnesses - and continue to do so - though I have to admit writing on a resume, "I was away with the fairies" is much more...um...perversely enjoyable than "Bipolar II".<BR/><BR/>My response to your facts: 1) wear boots - since nurses were always shorter than me they just stuck the thing up there and peered up - so they shorter they were the 'taller' I got, like the one who said I was 6'8" - um, don't think so. 2) Be careful who you date, with your fundy background there is a lot of potential guilt with this one.<BR/><BR/>3) You have webbed feet? <BR/>4) Yeah, that's fun while it last, the problem leaving ultra fundy land is no one gets your jokes or references anymore. You could make some joke to a guy with long scraggly hair about "watch out you don't go like Absolom" and just get a nervous backing away.<BR/>5) I have only named my epee swords, the first was named by the guys at the club from the number of groin hits I gave them: "The eviserator (sic)", I have 4 white polar teddy bears - they all have names, they are called...."bear" Maybe you should visit and name my stuff since you have a knack for it.<BR/><BR/>6) Yes.<BR/><BR/>7) I have all my teeth, which seems to shock and suprise most dentists who say "You have a LOT of teeth in here" - and I say, "Um...the right number for humans though?" - I guess not in this modern age. What boggles me is that you don't remember each extraction - were they so mundane?Elizabeth McClunghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03627373214555333537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-68626854798972641592008-01-07T00:17:00.000+00:002008-01-07T00:17:00.000+00:00ok i havnt quite got round to doing this yet but t...ok i havnt quite got round to doing this yet but trust me i will, if i dont you have permission to nag me!Jemma Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13847332558524079729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-961360525195784672008-01-06T18:46:00.000+00:002008-01-06T18:46:00.000+00:00Linz's petition is fabulous: those guidelines are ...Linz's petition is fabulous: those guidelines are atrocious. <BR/><BR/>Also fabulous? Your tagline! I LOVE IT!!! <BR/><BR/>Happy, heathier 2008, my friend.Never That Easyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04008749218695113192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-1788092697837920942008-01-05T19:33:00.000+00:002008-01-05T19:33:00.000+00:00Haha. This time I blame pain medication. And *pain...Haha. This time I blame pain medication. And *pain*, now that I think about it. Although quite soon I will run out of impairment-related excuses and have to admit that I'm just a bit dizzy. (It's my life's ambition to avoid having to admit that. I'm doing quite well there.)<BR/><BR/>Yes, the date stamp is automatic. I started part of that entry back on the 29th and edited it without editing the date. Let this be a lesson to me.<BR/><BR/>Never read the Cosmic Trilogy - although I really should, given my literary studies interest in fantasy writing. What do you think of it - beyond that it's weird?Naomi J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10918322634249814999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-23319647783152074012008-01-05T18:59:00.000+00:002008-01-05T18:59:00.000+00:00You've actually corrected it to "December 4th, 200...You've actually corrected it to "<I>December</I> 4th, 2008". Sorry, it's my Aspie attention to detail...<BR/><BR/>(On my blog the date stamp seems to be automatic - i certainly don't enter a date for my posts, i just click "Publish" and it appears with the date and time of when i published it...)<BR/><BR/>The real NICE looks almost as sinister as the fictional one ;) (What did you think of Lewis's Cosmic Trilogy, btw?)stevethehydrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334234855643025449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-48017227613635570412008-01-05T15:36:00.000+00:002008-01-05T15:36:00.000+00:00Shiva: NICE. They give 'guidelines' on treatment -...Shiva: <A HREF="http://www.nice.org.uk/" REL="nofollow">NICE</A>. They give 'guidelines' on treatment - which are then taken as law by the NHS. They are the reason some people can't get the cancer drugs they need... the reason my GP keeps asking me how much longer I'm going to be on the only medication that does anything for my pain, because it's expensive and not 'sanctioned' by NICE for my conditions... the reason people with certain conditions are put through appalling so-called treatments - cf. the way 'graded exercise' is forced onto people with M.E., even when those people become ill through it... Um. Yes. I have a problem with them. I like their site's claim that they're "independent". Of who - the government? Heh. Not as far as I've noticed. <BR/><BR/>The date thing was an error that has now been corrected. I could blame my dyspraxia for my inability to do anything with time measurements. I won't, though.<BR/><BR/>In answer to your final question, I have no idea, but I do seem to encounter quite a lot of them.Naomi J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10918322634249814999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-5460773838012878582008-01-05T15:03:00.000+00:002008-01-05T15:03:00.000+00:00"We're now four days into 2008"... and yet this bl..."We're now four days into 2008"... and yet this blog post is datestamped "December 29, 2007"... <BR/><BR/>I wanted to know who NICE is/are, but the link didn't mention it. The only NICE i know of (apart from the fictional one in <I>That Hideous Strength</I>... which has to be one of the <I>oddest</I> books i've ever read) is the National Institute for Conductive Education, which is based very near me in Birmingham and is a slightly weird medical-model take on educating physically impaired kids by... er, teaching them to move their limbs "better" by passive movement, and claiming that improves their educational performance, or... something...<BR/><BR/>Also, just <I>how</I> many queer ex-fundies are there in the disability movement???stevethehydrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18334234855643025449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-57619530899530738802008-01-04T23:43:00.000+00:002008-01-04T23:43:00.000+00:00Fine, fine. I emerge from my hibernating state to ...Fine, fine. I emerge from my hibernating state to post, but no one else can :P I'm kidding, of course. Yer fine mate. I hope work doesn't kill you before the end of the sales. I am now quite traumatised by the thought of being crushed by large piles of CDs. It's all going to turn into a particularly nasty horror-movie-style dream as soon as I close my eyes. Ah well, hibernation anyway.Naomi J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10918322634249814999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011984.post-31123618184563716542008-01-04T23:31:00.000+00:002008-01-04T23:31:00.000+00:00*threatens with nasties*Actually no, it's more a p...*threatens with nasties*<BR/><BR/>Actually no, it's more a plea for mercy. Memes and me just never seem to get on. They end up as notepad files cluttering up my desktop and when I eventually open them, all they contain is a copy/paste of the rules, and the person who tagged me.<BR/><BR/>Right now, I don't think I can think of seven bloggers or seven facts. Work is mad, January sales, I just have this sort of recurring nightmare where great big stacks of CDs topple over at me.<BR/><BR/>Can has hibernations now plz?Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11639094548415759560noreply@blogger.com