Re-visiting the 1980's

Recently I've been feeling nostalgic. Whilst considering what to see & do on my trip abroad later this year, I've had some movies playing in the background. Then after watching Sixteen Candles and the Breakfast Club I came across my complete series of Scarecrow & Mrs King...since then it's been a case of me being hooked more on the TV rather than working out what to see or/& do on my trip!

Once I started with Scarecrow & Mrs King I got to thinking about the other TV shows I loved when I was younger & more particularly growing up in the fantastic 80's. Unfortunately a lot of my favourites are not available on dvd. So, my friends, I was wondering what some of your favourites were. Some of my favourites, apart from the aforementioned were: The Wonder Years, China Beach, In The Heat of the Night, & Hill Street Blues...

Preparations

There are many preparations going on at the moment in my life. I currently have 12 books that are sitting on a chair waiting to be read. None of them are novels, nor do any relate to my courseworks unit for this semester. They are all, I hope, a way to start narrowing my point of focus for my Honours Thesis. Today's other preparation is no less horrifying...I am having to drink some God awful stuff to clear out my system prior to tomorrow's hospital visit. Let me leave it in those vaguest of terms. All that I can say is that at present I am not comfortable, in fact I am decidedly uncomfortable!

I am quite taken with where my thoughts on my thesis is currently going. If you are interested, or have the time to make a comment I'd be interested to 'hear' your views on this question I'm playing around with. How has the sub-genre of paranormal romance re-invented/reconstructed itself within the Romance Genre?

Apparently there are many ways in which to tackle this. Personally, I'm interested in the power struggle between shapeshifter alphas and how, where & why that struggle presents itself as well as the impact or importance of that based upon its readership.

Honours Year

Well, the Honours year has now officially begun. This morning I went and met up with my 1st semester supervisor. It went quite well, even though I left feeling like I needed to get into warp speed! There is so much to do & so little time to do it in when you consider the final date for submission. 15,000 - 18,000 words sure may seem a lot when the concept is floating through your head, but after you talk about the direction that you think your paper should go in, well, let's just say HELP!!!!

Most of you who know me are aware of the fact that when it comes to academic reading I'm a procrastinator. So, I've come up with a way (hopefully) to overcome this. For every academic book I slug my way through, I can read a fiction book...sounds like a good idea huh? I'll keep you all updated on how THAT works out, lol.

I know it's been a while since I posted on here...it's not because I didn't have anything to write, it's just, well, the truth is I forgot my password...typical huh? Thankfully my Dad has put a program on my laptop that does the job...remembering passwords that is. Therefore, I will ensure that I write at least once a fortnight, if not more so!

Foxes & Feathers: The Draft

Hi All, you may be aware that recently I had my short story critiqued by the class and my tutor.  This was a terrifying prospect that meant I was the spotlight of the class with possible failure on the horizon.  So, instead of giving you my re-write, I thought I'd give you the draft which was definitely in need of some work.  Let me know what you think.

As the sun stroked the countryside in farewell, the moon arose in the sky to play along the landscape.  The summer heat still hung heavy in the air even though the sun had now long departed the sky; fireflies danced and sparked in the clear night sky, reminiscent of fairies dancing gracefully, a reinvented waltz.  No breeze moved through the trees and yet leaves rustled.  From a bough of an enormous oak tree, above a dell, leaves jerked and quivered furiously, a green hula skirt twisting violently to some drum beat rhythm.  Through the shades of green were glimpses of white and brown.  A yip from the edge of the dell, then into the clearing rolled two fox cubs.  Twisting and turning, snarling and nipping they continued bouncing over rocks until they both came to a crashing halt against a log.

            Far above on the bough where the leaves had shaken their hula dance, now peered two small golden eyes watching the antics below.  Spellbound.  Once more the leaves shook.  Then they again stilled.  There was a loud ‘Harrumph’, a muttering of ‘walk before you run indeed’.  The eyes closed, reopened and looked up towards the sky, very much as we humans do when asking for heavenly assistance.  A deep breath, then some more shaking of the leaves and suddenly out catapulted along the branch a small fluffy creature.  It’s momentum came to a complete and sudden end with its head laying upon the bough, with what one would assume, its backside up in the air against the trunk of the great tree.  The thing, for one could really not be sure exactly what it was in this position, lay there muttering with its eyes closed.

            The cubs gambolling below both looked up, startled at the sudden disruption above them.  All that they could see from their position was what looked like a funny pair of mustard yellow detached feet floating up against the trunk of the great oak tree that sheltered the dell. 

“What is that?” the cub with amber eyes muttered to his brother.

“Looks to me like some bird exploded and left behind his feet.”

“Don’t be silly, a bird wouldn’t leave behind his feet.”

“Well then how do you explain those feet stuck to the side of the Great Oak?”  He sat down in front of his brother ready to argue his point.

“Easy,” he said, ”the bird hasn’t left his feet behind.  He’s crash landed and is stuck most of the way in the Great Oak’s trunk.”  Smug at what he was sure was the only real explanation for what, from their position was only a pair of feet.

Up above them came a groan and they immediately stopped their heated argument on the possibilities of birds leaving their feet behind, or taking off so quickly as to embed themselves into trunks.   Peering through the filtered moonbeams they listened carefully. It came again, a groan but now followed by a mumbling.

“See, I told you it hadn’t left its feet behind fuzz butt!”

“Shut up, it could have happened.”

“Would you two both shut up please?”  Came a new voice, one full of annoyance.  The two cubs quickly looked back at the tree bough and saw what they had missed before, or more what the bough had previously been hiding from them.  A snowy face with golden eyes looked over the edge of the bough, straight at the cubs.  The one with amber eyes nudged his sibling.

“Ah, who are you?”

“Athena” replied the bird. 

“Oh.  My name’s Dash and this is my brother Ash,” the amber-eyed fox said politely.  “Would you like to come down and play with us?”

“I don’t know how to get all the way down there.”

“But you’ve got wings ain’t yer?” asked Ash.

“Yes, but I’ve never tried them before.  Mother keeps saying I’m too young, although to be quite honest I just think that she has issues with me trying to the leave the nest.  Because you know what mothers are – “

“Whoa, wait a minute!  Boy you sure can talk fast.” Dash jumped in when both he and Ash were starting to go cross-eyed trying to keep up with all that Athena was saying.

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly.  “I tend to get a bit excited and ramble on quickly.”

“Well, why don’t you give it a try.  Your mum’s not home to tell you off if you give it a go, and anyway you can always get back there if you hear her coming.” 

Ash nodded, “we’ll keep an eye out for her for you so you don’t get into trouble and if that fails, don’t worry, me and Dash we’re egg spurts at stories to get out of trouble.

“That’s experts numbskull.”

“Whatever dogs breath.”

“Halloo, owl up here about to disobey parent and possibly be grounded forever here.”  Athena jumped in as the brothers prepared to go through what was more than likely a familiar routine.

“Right, sorry Athena.  Are you ready to give it a go?”

“Okay, although to be honest it was hard enough to break through the leaf cage mum had built around the nest.  Now let’s see…wings, yep two of them, and in fair working order.”  Athena bent and stretched her legs, flapped her wings. “On the count of three.”

“One…two…three.”

“Um, Athena, you’re meant to jump now.”  Ash piped in helpfully as Athena took deep breath after deep breath.

“You can do it Athena, just flap those wings and jump,”  Dash assured her with a foxy grin.

“One…two…three.” 

            Athena jumped, flapped her wings furiously and realised very quickly that something was wrong.  She plummeted, at least it felt that way to her, and came to her second abrupt halt for the evening, this time opening her eyes to three sets of eyes peering into hers.  Two were the fox cubs, and the third was very familiar to her, her mother’s.

“Uh, hi Mum.”  Boy was she in trouble this time.

“Athena, thank goodness you’re alright.  Why on earth would you try to jump out of the tree?”

“I was trying to fly Mum.”

“Wrong answer, “came the muttered response from Dash.

“Athena there’s a very good reason you’ve been forbidden to fly.”

“But Mum, I want to fly and I know I can do it.”

“Athena, it’s not because you’re not, well, I suppose capable is not the right word to use here, it’s not because of your determination, it’s because darling you haven’t grown your feathers yet!”

            After a sudden silence at Athena’s mother’s revelation, Dash, Ash and Athena looked at each and burst out laughing.  Then Ash and Dash proceeded to explain how they’d though Athena was really some bird who had had a funny take off and ended up head first embedded in the tree.  Athena’s mother laughed then went off to hunt after the cubs and Athena promising to stay and play within the dell.

Comfy, Cozy & Contented

As the weather has turned cooler, one of my favourite things in the house has been put back into use.  It's not the central heating, but close - our open fire place.  There is nothing more comforting than coming in from the cold, having a steamy shower or soak in a bath, then snuggling into a chair in front of a blazing fire.  Even if you can't settle in the TV or engrossed into a book, the flames dance & leap to mesmerise and maintain your suspended attention.

From here you can add to your contentment, even though this may in fact be enough.  A glass of wine, or a cup of tea; maybe even a piece of cake or some lovely chocolate to nibble on.  The day ends earlier now.  The sun beginning to fade in the sky as we scurry from work.  The chill of the air which had until now been staved off by the sunshine, now swirls past you as you walk the street or sit in your car.  However, the cold is left behind.  An intruder that is not given to pass the door, and there you can relax, in front of a cheerful fire, comfy, cozy and content....

The Issues Confronting Children's Literature

I am currently attempting to do some research & get a plan completed for my major essay in children's literature.  The question I am struggling with seems such a simple one. Should children's books just be fore children? Consider the adult reader.

My answer to this was simply, and loudly "NO", but unfortunately they require a reason for my no and that reason must come to approx. 2500 words!  So, looking at some of the reading I have done, I can back it up using the following points:

1) Nostalgia - that is that the adult reader relates to certain nostalgic memories

2)Fun/Frivolity - picture books, comics & graphic novels

3)Age: human condition is linear regardless of age; perception between child & adult readings

4)Categorisation of 'children's' books

From here I am stuck.  I have the general idea - out in the ether - of what I want to say but would love some feedback by anyone as to what your thoughts are in regards to why, as an adult you read children's books.  What feeling do you get from reading them?  What do you get out of reading them?  Those sorts of questions.  Also think of children's books as a whole such as picture books.  Are the books that you read 'children's' books or 'young adult'?

I'd be interested to see how many of you approach this question as well as once you have thought past your original response to the idea of is children's books just for them.  It is a very problematic area of study as our conditioned responses are often the most difficult to explain or critique.   

Addiction

I was thinking about Easter since it's Good Friday and how many people who have chocolate addictions would be in heaven now because of the able excuse to partake of said addiction.  My addiction in fact has nothing to do with food.  It's not drink, nor is it smoking (revolting habit! should be banned from every public venue).  It is in fact books.  Most of you are probably thinking that it doesn't count as an addiction but here as it is with most things, the semantics of definition can be dependent upon the person.

These are times, as we are hearing more regularly, of difficulty financially.  I myself as a student are finding this a bit trying, particularly with the car needing a good overhaul and the usual bills.  However, I still manage like the smoker, drinker or chocolate eater, to feed my addiction.  I buy books.  Not one or two, but more in the realm of four or five.  This figure is of course, lower than what it was before the monetary struggles where it was not unusual for me to buy in the field of ten plus a week or fortnight.  So, although at present my addiction is still being fed by buying the books, I have not kept up with the reading due to the school workload I have this semester...I am looking forward to the mid year break to catch up on the ever growing pile.

To all the addicts out there (smokers excluded), I wish you a bountiful Easter!