Meanwhile, with my other hand...

[altariel]

I did manage to make a start on painting the kitchen this week, probably a bit sooner than perhaps I should given the cold, but friends are staying this weekend, and that was my deadline for getting it done. And dammit it’s very nearly done. All that’s left is an annoying bit of wall, but this will involve standing on a chair and tap-dancing and juggling plates and that kind of thing. The colour is ‘frosted steel’, which we inadvertently picked while looking for a colour to ‘make the room feel warmer’. It does look nice, though. I also did heroic things like empty bookcases and drag them downstairs and hoover walls.

The room adjacent to the kitchen looks less good, however: it’s now piled up with all the crap that’s been in the hanging around for ages in the back. But now it’s rationalized crap. This is an important distinction. Control has been exercised over the crap.

On which subject, wasn’t Torchwood alarmingly good this week? They’ve rightly grasped that Burn Gorman is the one to showcase rather than Gap-toothed Gwen and Barry Boyfriend (although I do like Barry Boyfriend, and I’m glad he’s now in the know, not least because of the brilliant scenes at the start of ‘Adam’ when Gwen doesn’t recognize him). I wished they’d called the episode ‘Dead Men Walking’, though.

Because I wonder what the deal is with mortality amongst the Torchwood production crew. Soon there will be more regular cast dead than alive. I am developing an ever-more complex Grand Unified Theory to do with the respective age groups targeted by Doctor Who, The Sarah-Jane Adventures, and Torchwood, and how this plays out into the narratives of each. So Torchwood seems preoccupied with death, and beating death, and getting one over on death, and thus – presumably for the viewer – coming to terms with death. Requires Further Thought.

Now that it’s been established that Owen’s body has shut down, I’m vaguely hoping – for msmanna’s sake, mainly – that bits of him will start dropping off. Because surely all that Torchwoodwas lacking was a zombie? Snogging Tosh, obviously. Who hasn’t chosen her objects of love all that successfully, on the whole, has she? Particularly this season.

I decided I would read Jared Diamond’s Collapse in the end, and I’m glad I did because it’s fascinating if intensely depressing. Those poor bloody and bloody-minded Greenland Norse have been plaguing my thoughts all week, even more than the Easter Islanders. And this despite Diamond’s valiant efforts throughout to go, “No no no! It’s all fine! We can learn from all this and do something about our own situation!” The bio on the dust jacket tells me Diamond started as a physiologist and is now Professor of Geography at UCLA. I like geographers, they are turning out to be a Sekrit Kabal of the Kool. Anyway, thank you to those of you who said this was worth reading, because you were right.

Comments

[thanatos-kalos.livejournal.com]

I wished they’d called the episode ‘Dead Men Walking’, though.

That's the thing, though-- I don't think Jack is dead. Or, at least, not in the same way. Owen has no vital signs, and can't sleep, eat, or shag (and I've begun using that term in everyday conversation; I think I've finally adapted to the UK :P). Jack can't sleep, but he has the other normal metabolic processes. He even does die, he just doesn't stay that way. Owen is Undead, whereas Jack is alive but continually returned traumatically to life like a yo-yo. (i.e., his life energy/pneuma/whatever is a yo-yo, not that yo-yos return traumatically to life if killed).

I'm not sure if that made sense, but... :P

[altariel.livejournal.com]

You're making sense! You're right that Jack isn't dead in the same way as Owen: in fact, I think Owen summed it up really well in last night's BBC Three episode (stop now if you haven't seen but I'm pretty certain you have): "You get to live forever, I get to die forever" (I may be paraphrasing.)

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Those poor bloody and bloody-minded Greenland Norse have been plaguing my thoughts all week, even more than the Easter Islanders. And this despite Diamond’s valiant efforts throughout to go, “No no no! It’s all fine! We can learn from all this and do something about our own situation!”

Since The Greenland Norse were done in by climatic change, we might well be able to learn something from them. What I know about their fate I learned from HH Lamb's fascinating book (if you are interested in climate and its influence on history) Climate, History and the Modern World.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thank you for that suggestion.

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

No no no! It’s all fine! We can learn from all this and do something about our own situation!

See also Scaroth, Last of the Jagaroth.

[sugoll.livejournal.com]

So Torchwood seems preoccupied with death,

Well, yes. It's Who's Angel.

Meanwhile, I really like Gwen and Rhys, though I think I preferred the portrayal in the books to the Betrayal in Season 1.

But this season is much better, definitely. We're shouting at the telly a lot less, this time around. k was even considering purchasing S1, which shows how much S2 has rebooted our view.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I like this season a lot more (although Mr A likes less, while agreeing that the quality is better).

Last week's Ashes to Ashes I finally deleted unwatched.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

Big coincidence. I wrote a post about Collapse this week and deleted it because: too depressing. What about the comment that modern Europeans have been in Montana (for instance) no more than 25% of the time the Vikings managed in Greenland, and we are already in more trouble there than they were.

The societies that survive are rigid, formal, cautious, structured, controlled. Is that the future of the species.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I finished Collapse yesterday between classes. The Greenland Norse really are the ones that stay most in the mind: they seem to be the ones he comes back to the most, he likes that sentence about the rich buying themselves the privilege of being the last to starve. Definitely has significance as wealthy Americans seem to be drawing back into the their own protected realms of country clubs and golf courses, drinking bottled water, withdrawing from public schools.

Astonishing to discover that Westerners only got to Montana in 1806-07: I think I'm intellectually aware of how recent an invention the United States is, but when - as you say - you put those 200 years against the 450 years that the Vikings survived in Greenland...

The societies that survive are rigid, formal, cautious, structured, controlled. Is that the future of the species.

Not always cautious, for a moment of optimism: he repeatedly states how several societies survived by jettisoning core values, and therefore had to be imaginative rather than rigid in the face of environmental changes. Perhaps a modern example, bearing in mind population growth, would be jettisoning the wicked US aid policies that prevent easy access to contraception.

Your description actually made me think of the society Le Guin depicts in Always Coming Home. Although I don't think I would be happy in that either: I suspect I'd have left, like Stone Telling, even if I did end up coming back in the end.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

The importance of the transition from crap to rationalized crap--well, that's hard to overstate! Mostly, from a feng-shui perspective, because it's crap that has been moved. Its fossilization is starting to dissolve. It has been Examined.

I think "frosted steel" sounds lovely, but I'm not known for my warmth. Good luck finishing the balance-y parts of the painting.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's been fascinating to feel my energy and interest levels grow (apart from the knock-on effect of having a cold, which has made me sleepy the past week). It's difficult to determine cause and effect, but as the crap lessens, I definitely feel more able to deal with the crap. Being away in the US for all that time really brought home how much of this stuff was, as you say, fossilized, and contributing nothing to my day to day life.

I'm really pleased with the frosted steel. It picks up the glow of the light bulbs, so sometimes it gets a pinkish hue. Very nice.

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

I've got a step-ladder if that's any help. Though I'm not sure whether it will fit in my car. I do like the sound of the 'frosted steel'.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think we may have a step-ladder somewhere in the garage, but I might just come back to you on that one... Thanks!

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Well done for rationalizing your crap and painting your kitchen! That's a terrific achievement. Frosted steel sounds enchanting (also a bit Eowyn).

I've been thoroughly enjoying Torchwood this season, and Burn Gorman is excellent watching.

I thought Owen was dancing with skeleton in this week's episode, not fighting it.

If it's all about the dying, does that mean Jack's stuck in Limbo, never able to quite reach the dark of Paradise?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm miles behind on comments - it's been a hell of a week. "Frosted Steel" is very Eowyn, now you mention it; doesn't Aragorn say something about her being a flower frozen by a late spring frost? Also reminds me of the titles of some of Soledad's stories about her, Ice Blossom and Frozen Flower. I'm glad we picked it now.

We've given up on Ashes to Ashes, btw - we put on the third episode the other day, watched a couple of minutes, then looked at each other and said, "DELETE!"

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

it's been a hell of a week

*hugs*

I hope you're getting recovery time and the retreat you need.

I'm glad we picked it now.

Good - those are all lovely things to be reminded of.

You chose wisely with Ashes to Ashes. It has continued exceeding dull.

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

I am experiencing loads of vicarious satisfaction from your stripping-and-painting-and-control-exerting achievements, which is just what I need in the mists of indecision-related angst. Hooray! It all sounds terribly healthy and good. Can there be pictures, when you're done? This 'frosted steel' intrigues me. I will expect you and Mr A to do the 'blue steel' look from Zoolander a lot (have you seen that? It sort of involves spinning on your toe, pursing your lips and making your eyes bug out, but you really have to see it to get the full impact).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I am so far behind on replying to comments, argle. Piccies are a very good idea, actually, I must blow the dust off the camera. Perhaps I'll wait till we get the curtains up so that it doesn't look like a bare interrogation chamber from a chilly dystopian film ("NOT THE DART BOARD!") Or perhaps not.

I have not seen Zoolander, but the image is now romping merrily around my imagination...

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Collapse is a wonderfully depressing book. Now you need to read 1492, and your transformation into Sylvia Plath will be complete!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

LOL! Pass me that bee-keeping manual...

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

Hi!

I'm hoping I'm posting this in a non-interfere-y place. (I only just got my livejournal account, I have no idea how anything works, and I only got it because a friend of mine has harassed me constantly for over two years to sign up just so I can read her 'friends only' posts (I *know* it would have made more sense for her to just send me the posts already).

Anyway, after that long and stupid introduction, I saw your livejournal here and couldn't help but say hello. I used to email you years ago about your fic "A Game of Chess", my other s/n is Kshar. I found your journal when searching for a new copy of "Chess" (*still* my favorite fanfic and probably one of my favorite stories of all time) to replace the one that went west in my last harddrive meltdown (finally found on ff.net, where I probably should have checked first).

Glad to see you still around on the interwebz and I hope you are well. I bought a copy of "Hollow Men" (1) even though I've only ever watched one episode of DS9 (it's currently in one of my many cardboard boxes containing my possessions--I'm working on a career as a professional expatriate. The money's lousy but if you like angst and soul-sucking depression, it's the life choice for you!).

(1) I also always rearrange it so it's on the top when I see it in a bookshop.

So, um, hi! Sorry about being a weirdo stalker-type. And for turning 'hi' into a small novel. (I never could use one sentence when twelve would do.)

P.S. *Everyone* hates Gwen, don't they?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Kshar! I'm so glad to hear from you! (!! <-- signifier of delight!) We all come to LiveJournal in time. I also had a hard drive meltdown that meant I lost email addresses and so on; I'm really glad you found me here. Is it OK for me to friend your journal?

All is well at this end: I'm still writing Tolkien fanfic on and off, and have thought of you every time I wrote something about Faramir's children :-) I'm trying to write more "original" stuff; I've published a couple of short stories and I'm working on a couple of novels with varying degrees of success. It's turning out to be more a gear change from fanfic than I'd imagined.

Absolutely chuffed to bits that you posted. Please stay in touch!

PS Everyone should hate Gwen. But not Barry Boyfriend.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

Yes, please to friend me! I'll do the same if I can remember where the button is (story of my life!). I has new laptop so I'm even less computer-savvy than usual (should be getting used to using it soon. I hope).

You can find me at kshar02 at hotmail or infinitelight at email dot com should the need arise (1). Or, you know, the Bat Signal (shhh, I'm keeping that quiet).

(1) Sudden worldwide shortage of people who will talk bollocks about fictional characters? Desire to watch me scrawl on all my possessions "Faramir + Eowyn 4 Eva" (2)? Need someone who can discuss Mulder's hair and the significance as it changes on storyline? You know, all that useful stuff.

(2) Okay, I haven't done that. But I might.

I saw more of your Tolkien fic at ff.net. I've been out of the loop, but will be catching up. Awwww, Faramir's children. (Side note: "Faramir's Children" would be a great Hallmark movie title.) I have big plans to print out "Chess" at work's expense (yay!) and do a chapter by chapter reread.

Good to hear you are doing more original writing, that is awesome and I'll keep an eye on your journal (not in an optical-fluid-leaking-everywhere way). I've always thought your writing is amazing.

Kshar

P.S. Barry Boyfriend's had a terrible time, poor boy.