- Insatiable Booksluts have been having a Stephen King Week this past week in honour of his 65th Birthday (which I found out about, ahem, the day after the event) and obviously I've been in hog heaven reading all their posts. If you're in love with Stephen King like a normal red-blooded reader, then I recommend catching up with their posts!
- In other Stephen King news, did you know that the sequel to The Shining now has a publication date? EXCITING!
- Here's an interview with JK Rowling that I liked quite a lot. If you don't know how awesome she is, or want a bit more information about her new book (out on Friday!) I recommend having a read.
- Some Shakespeare appreciation is always... um... appreciated? Whatever, I liked reading this post anyway!
- Some moron got married and then called everyone who has sex outside marriage "promiscuous charlatans" "harlots" and other lovely things like that. I would never get you to read his article if Jezebel hadn't gif-ed it up in THE best way. You're welcome.
- Nora Ephron's out-of-print essay collections are going to be re-published in one book! It's already on my wishlist, cause, you know- Noraaaaaa!
- Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, is writing another book! I know that I'm Furiously Happy about it.
- Here's Caitlin Moran: Reading a HILARIOUS extract from her new book, Answering all the important questions, and Writing about her food memories. And if you haven't seen THIS from her book launch yet, then what have you been doing with yourself?
I didn't really mean to be the pusher of literary links, but there sure have been a lot this week, or, I should say, a lot that I find relevant/interesting, that you might hate! So there's that.
Anyway, this week I've been ill! So surprising, I realise, but it was odd in that I had a cold, and then on Wednesday I had a MASSIVE headache which was horrible, and then that went away and the cold kind of came back. It was really weird, and I didn't much appreciate it. Plus, yesterday I GOT OUT OF BED to go to this book sale that was cancelled so that was really annoying, but on the plus side I got some books anyway, cause the place where the book sale was supposed to be? Totally charity shop laden. I got a few books, and most importantly...
I bought Ulysses. Which, as everyone knows, is the first step to actually reading Ulysses some time in The Future. I am terrified. But it's a good kind of terror. Probably.
Anyway, I totally hid in that picture because my hair is DISGUSTING (ill! Bedrest+lack of washing=nothing good) but, by popular demand, here's a picture of my hair when it's all curly now it's been cut (this feels like a really awkward introduction to a picture, so everyone who wanted this better say nice things about it!):
It sure is curly! (Isn't my jumper amazing? BUNNIES!) I realise my hair must just be thrilling to you, but what can I tell ya? I have no tales from this week, for it has been tale-less.
Oh, except I accompanied my mum to London on Friday for her radiotherapy session (3 down, 12 to go!) and while she went and got all... radiated, I went for a stroll down Tottenham Court Road (it's at the end of Oxford Street. In case you wanted to know) and got severely pissed off by London! I mean, normally I love it, but on Friday I got pushed in front of in a queue in a shop, nearly got run over by someone who didn't know what a ZEBRA CROSSING was for, and kindly took a leaflet from someone who, it turned out, wanted to convert me to Scientology (LOL no. That one was kind of my fault though, as I failed to spot that we were outside a Scientology centre...). And then, to top it all off I went to get a nice hot chocolate from Starbucks, and THIS happened on the cup:
The mind genuinely boggles. And, I mean, I realise that ALL of this falls under the category of first world problems, and, to be fair, I got more stories out of a couple of hours in London than I did out of the whole week! But still... I think I've got a moors hangover, or, in other words, I think I prefer big open spaces with few people, to little cities with millions of people. At least at the moment.
OH! I almost forgot (in fact, I have forgotten. Often.) to announce the winner of my 'please take my copy of We Need To Talk About Kevin away from me' giveaway! The hat hath decreed that Alley can have it, so yay! I will be sending it to her whenever I can be bothered to go to a post office which... might not be soon. But anyway, YAY!
This week, I anticipate: forgetting to go to the post office many times, more trips to London (I don't know how many cause my mum's all like 'don't come with me, there's no point', and I'm like 'but I want to come with you in case you get all tired and stuff' and she's like 'noooo' and I'm like 'yesssss' and it's all very battle-y, so we'll see) and hopefully finishing a book, because it turns out, when I'm ill? I kind of just want to watch Daria all the time and also sleep. And ALSO to keep starting new books without finishing old ones because I'm a dumbass. Blog posting will depend on all of the above, BUT I'll definitely be posting some kind of schedule for the Grapes of Wrath readalong, so keep an eye out for that! (And hey, sign up here, if you want!)
So, I hope y'all have good weeks, and that you at least know what you're doing during them! Cause that's always a good thing.
I love starting off my Sundays at work with your Sundries posts... :D
ReplyDelete1) J.K. ROWLING! AAARGH! *runs round in fangirl mode until she calms down enough to go read the article*
2) NORA EPHRON! AAAARGH! *runs to sister's room to steal back When Harry Met Sally before calming down enough to go read the article*
3) CAITLIN MORAN! JENNY LAWSON! AAAARGH! *gives up and has a lie down*
I totally bought myself the Jenny Lawson book last week, after all the amazing reviews and hilarious extracts etc etc. I hid it down the side of a cardigan and some shoes so Mum wouldn't see it. :P
What else, what else? Radiated... sounds so much cooler than 'having radiation therapy'. Like a cross between being a superhero and making delicious food. I shall remember that for the future.
Also, WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SPELL LAURA?! The fools. More also, HOW DOES YOUR HAIR GO PERFECTLY RINGLETY WHEN IT CURLS INSTEAD OF LOOKING LIKE YOU FELL OUT OF A HEDGE?! Teach me all your secrets.
Scientology, hmmm... If that had been me I'd probably have covered my general confusion by jumping up and down and shouting OMG DO YOU KNOW TOM CRUISE? then running away.
Okay, I think that's quite enough mad commenting for one day... Laters, dude. :D
Awww, I'm glad I make Sundays at work better! Boooo working Sundays though!
DeleteDuuude, I know, SO MUCH excitement! All I will say is, that I saw basically all these things spread out during the week, so there was more of a floooow of excitement than what just happened to you in that comment there :)
I love your book hiding SO hard! Sometimes I sneak some books into the house in my handbag, and just have a few in a carrier bag... Y'know, editing what I've bought. Works for me!
I think radiated sounds pretty cool too! It's not inaccurate, anyway!
... My hair does these things naturally, so there is nothing I can teach you. I'm sorry *hangs head at lovely hair* lol, I'm so modest. ALTHOUGH, I would add that this is freshly washed un-slept on hair you're seeing, whereas yesterday? It wasn't so hot!
I did almost mention Tom Cruise! But I just couldn't be bothered and wanted to leave! I almost did the 'my mum's in the hospital you FREAK!' bit, but I couldn't really be bothered with that either lol.
LEAVE ME AWESOME COMMENTS ALL THE TIME!
OMG I DO THAT TOO! I buy, say, four books, BUT I PUT TWO IN MY HANDBAG AND NO ONE KNOWS! Clearly deviant *coughs*, sorry, 'great' minds think alike. :D
DeleteP.S. My hair also looks far less nest-like when it is newly washed (soft and bouncy) and not-quite-dry (keeps frizz down) and not slept on yet (HELLO MAD STICKY OUT BITS).
P.P.S. This comment wasn't quite so awesome - but in my defense, it's 8 o'clock on a Sunday night and I am wearing pyjama bottoms.
<3ove the curls! Serious. Wish I had them. Also, as far as name spelling, I should accumulate a list of names I've seen in my time. My all time favorite? Pussy. Seriously. Pronounced - Pus-SAY. (who are these people and why are they procreating?!)
ReplyDeleteThank youuuu Christina :)
DeleteWHO WOULD CALL THEIR CHILD PUSSY?! I can't even... *shakes head* Oh, America. *sigh*
Yayyy love your curly short hair :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd that GIF-laden article was hilarious and infuriating at the same time. I just don't understand wanting to go into a lifelong commitment like marriage so completely blind as to what you're getting into. Also, dude's an asshole. But the gif's definitely helped.
I hope that you feel better! Stop being sick! But I hear ya on not feeling like reading when you're sick - zoning out to the tv is just so much easier.
Also, excited for your readalong! I should go buy my copy of The Grapes of Wrath today, I have a coupon burning a whole in my pocket.
Have a good week :)
Thank youuuu! It didn't stay looking like that for long, but... I likes it :)
DeleteWasn't it the most ridiculous thing?! I don't even... Like, I don't CARE if he wanted to 'wait until he got married', like, the dude can do whatever he wants (it's not something *I'd* want to do but whatever) but that doesn't mean he gets to bitch about other people's choices and call them harlots or whatever! No no no no no! The gifs were so awesome though :)
Dude, illness and tv were basically made for each other. Although I have read the best part of a Stephen King book during, because he's apparently like my comfort author :) Ahhh, I love him so :)
GO AND BUY GRAPES OF WRATH! I command it :). I worked out the sections today too, I'm so excited to read it again!
I j'adored that article... I think it was at the 'Hobbits clapping' gif that I knew it was gonna be a good one. By the time I reached the OMG Cat I had nearly snorted coffee down my nose. Dude's an asshat, BUT DUDE GOT PWNED. :D
DeleteStupidest dude, abstinate (yep making that a word) all you want, but don't judge other people for not wanting to follow your life choices!
DeleteAlso, can I point out that the chat with the other bride was clearly fabricated?
First he says that they happened to find themselves sitting next to another set of newlyweds discussing their wedding, "nothing's going to change' etc etc and then goes on to say how she was alone and her new husband was still asleep. SO WHO WAS SHE TALKING TO?!
If those gifs hadn't existed I might have exploded in anger all over my office.
Abstinators are the WORST!
DeleteDude, yes yes yes to the chat with the other bride! My friend pointed this out to me on twitter too! HOW STUPID! It literally makes no sense, and just serves his evil narrative purposes. The douchebag.
I would have had to stop reading if there'd been no gifs. Praise the LORD for gifs (although... maybe I shouldn't have read it anyway? I don't know what have been for the best!)
YOU HAIR LOOKS OSSSUM
ReplyDeleteWhy thaaaank you :) x
Delete1) Your hair looks lovely!
ReplyDelete2) Thank you for these wonderful links. Especially the Rowling one! I am so excited for The Casual Vacancy. SO EXCITED. I think people around me are getting alarmed.
3) Your use of the phrase "zebra crossing" makes me think that being in London is like being on safari, with zebras and giraffes and other beastly creatures running amok. (I don't want to know if I'm totally off-base. DON'T SHATTER THE ILLUSION.)
4) Scientology creeps me out. I read something about their worker division ("SeaOrg") and it was like something out of an Orwell novel.
5) I'll stop here, I swear. A five-point comment isn't TOO long, no?
1) Thank you!
Delete2) You're so welcome- there's just been SO much goodness on the interwebs this week that I had to compile and share!
3) I'm trying not to shatter your illusions, but... you don't have zebra crossings in America? I did not know this! And I only learned from The Simpsons that you don't have roundabouts... It's a strange strange land!
4) I have read many things about Scientology (including some things about SeaOrg) and none of it has ever been good. But they'd probably say something like 'Christ got loads of bad press when he started out, too' so... It's difficult to argue with cults.
5) NO COMMENT IS EVER TOO LONG! What else would I do with my time but reply to comments? (I'm not even being sarcastic, the answer to that is like 'nap more' or something...
3) We have them but they're pretty much just called crosswalks, which is way boring. Also we had some roundabouts, but I swear they've been ripping them all out whenever they can.
DeleteAren't crosswalks like, where you have like pedestrian crossing lights and all though? Cause zebra crossings are (sorry Rayna!) like black and white stripes in the road, and if someone's waiting to cross at one, then dammit, you have to wait for them!
DeleteStill bitchin.
No way did you have roundabouts! I've been convinced ever since the English Simpsons episode that you've all basically never heard of them/are terrified of them! So... I guess I can't trust everything on The Simpsons? #existentialcrisis
Crosswalks can either have the walk signals or not. And if not, then cars are supposed to wait but they typically don't. Cos those people are jerks.
DeleteWe definitely do have roundabouts, but most of the ones near me are small ones. Once I happened upon a really huge roundabout in Massachusetts and went around it about five times before I realized that I wasn't on the regular road anymore.
Delete(not so) interesting fact: roundabouts are super common in Australia EXCEPT in Adelaide for some reason, where there is only one really big, super confusing one. As a result everytime my grandparents visited us in Cairns they would freak out when driving because Cairns in basically more roundabouts than roads.
DeleteMassachusetts loves roundabouts, though they call them rotaries which I can't explain. I think it is a new England thing. If our crosswalks (in the US) were black and white zebra crossings maybe drivers would see them better and. Remember to yield to pedestrians. Besides, the zebra crossings look cool.
DeleteThat article made me laugh. I freaking love the hobbits. But man, that guy was a major ass.
ReplyDeleteLOVE your hair curly. So cute. Your name spelled as Lora made me laugh too. I'm now trying to say Laura in a horrible English accent to see if it sounds like Lora...not so much.
Ugh Ulysses. I couldn't get through it but I wish you luck.
That guy seriously needs a good talking to about not being a dickhead. I'd be glad to do this.
DeleteThank youuu for the hair compliment! I'm glad everyone's so nice about it, cause this is what my hair does and you can't fight nature! (or at least... I don't wanna!) I kiiind of see where Lora comes from cause it's kind of phonetically that, but WHO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SPELL LAURA! Come on, if I have to have a common name, people can at least spell it right!
I AM SO SCARED OF ULYSSES! But I feel like if I read it, I will never be daunted by another book. But I'm still not going to read it for ages. Unless I feel especially brave.
Aww, your hair! And aww, your sweater! If I were relatively confident no would judge me, I would wear a sweater with bunnies on it all the time. Plus it looks really warm and comfy.
ReplyDeleteDude, that article. I saw it on Jezebel, and was like "agghhhh it's like high school chapel speakers all over again." Because that's what we were told allll through high school, and now it's like "SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE DIFFERENT SEXUAL WANTS AND IF YOU DON'T FIND THAT OUT UNTIL MARRIAGE, IT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM." So. There's that.
I enjoy our incestuous giveaways.
It's sooo warm. In fact, it might be a bit *too* warm. But it's perfect for proper winter. Who on earth would judge you for wearing a bunny sweater?! It's what everyone needs in a freezing Chicago winter!
DeleteSEX IS NOT DIRTY OR WRONG, there I said it! The thing I think about sex-before-marriage is that, in the olden days pre-contraception, it was probably a pretty good idea to not do the sex until you were married because then when you inevitably got knocked up, the dude kind of had to stay. Now? There's practically no drawback to having sex outside of marriage!
Yeah, I kind of just reduced the Bible to a BC sociological guide, what of it?
INCESTTTTT, who doesn't love it? Hmm... should probably rephrase that...
1) YAY you're hair!! :) And the bunnies
ReplyDelete2) Woo, thank you for the book. I look forward to it whenever you get around to posting it.
3) So many links for me to go through!
4) I'm sorry you're sick. I'm also sick and my cold did the same "you're getting better and BOOM, ROUND TWO"
Another list comment?! I am in HEAVEN!
Delete1) BUNNIES! And hair. Yes. I mean, thanks! :)
2) It's in an envelope! And I've written your address on a bit of paper to put on the front of it! Shit is happening!
3) I know! I insist you click on them ALL, cause they're all awesome!
4) DAMN EVIL COLDS! I'm still a bit snotty, but mostly ok. ish. :) Poor Alleyyy, I hope you feel better sooooon x
Seriously, I can't decide if your hair or your sweater is more awesome. Maybe you should host a 2nd readalong of Ulysses after The Grapes of Wrath is done...doooo it!
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you! I'm going with the hair. No, the bunnies... Well, the hair cost more, so let's say that's better :)
DeleteNO Ulysses readalong. Cause who would do that with me?! (apart from you, since I clearly take your suggestion as you volunteering) Well, at least not for a good long while. Maybe in a few years. Maybe.
Ya you're right. I'd much rather just read about you reading that book ;)
Delete