Part-time Ghost

Been a week since I last updated, which probably means I should have a lot to say here, but I've been listless and depressed for most of it. At least I attended the exam on friday, and hopefully managed to pass... I didn't feel terrible about it, but not particularly well either. But even if I didn't I'm not too worried; I made sure to talk to my teacher about it beforehand.

In Big Finish news, the newly released Library of Alexandria was... really cute. That. That's all I can think of, really. I love that Ian, Barbara, Susan and the Doctor just decided to crash in Alexandria for a couple of months because of Reasons and that apparently Ian is the only one of them to get a job during this time so the other three can go to the theater every day. Yes, it also had some tragic and contemplative moments but it ends on such a light note that overall I was left with the impression of having listened to a really fluffy (and shippy) One era fanfic. Which is a good thing! In this case at least.

But I've also been catching up on the Main Range, so have another batch of quick, non-spoilery reviews (minus the specials, because... there's not that much to say about half-hour episodes that are mostly crack anyway):

( Primeval, Spare Parts, The Church and the Crown, Flip Flop, Omega, Davros )

Tbh I have a lot more (spoilery) thoughts about the themes in Omega and Davros (and Master) that lead into Zagreus, as they are a gold mine for meta. Might re-listen to Master and get some of them out soon.

In more recent Doctor Who news, I got around to watching Cold War this afternoon. It was... okay. Yeah. Not terrible, but pretty bland overall. It's Gatiss, so I hadn't really expected more; I'm very pleased with the way the Ice Warriors were handled, however. More spoilery thoughts behind cut!

( Cold War )

TL;DR it was ok imo, but not much more than that. I don't know if watching the classic series has made me spoiled, but 45 minutes just doesn't seem long enough to tell a stellar story, sometimes. I'm mostly happy about my favourite Who monster being handled well. <3

- Hotmail has been putting me off ever since... forever, actually, but most recently they've removed MSN and "upgraded" to Outlook. Which means that today I finally caved in and got gmail, and I should really get around to changing my adress on a bunch of sites (even if you can connect it to the old one, it feels more proper). Bleugh.

- The exam I skipped is next friday, which is sooner than it actually should be, but I'm strangely enough not feeling particularly bothered by this-- perhaps because we've started talking about Hellenism and I find I'm rather enjoying it?

I haven't been jumping in my seat since we finished with the Bronze Age, but I find the Hellenistic world, the strong interaction between cultures and increasing awareness of the outside world very compelling, and the eclectic art styles very interesting. So it's fun (and this month's Companion Chronicle is the original Team TARDIS at the library of Alexandria! Way, way too late/500 AD, but still a bit appropriate and definitely a treat for me).

- Speaking of Big Finish, last week, after eight years of internet paranoia, I caved in and installed uTorrent (which should actually be myTorrent, because it's the Greek letter my on their logo, but no one seems to refer to them as this? Whatev) to download the main range. THERE ARE 171 OF THEM RELEASED SO FAR AND I AM A POOR STUDENT. I COULDN'T RESIST ANY LONGER.

So, I've been listening to the ones I haven't already in order (so far). Quick, non-spoilery opinions cut for length:

( Whispers of Terror, The Land of the Dead, The Fearmonger, The Genocide Machine, Red Dawn )

I'm a terrible completist, and so far I've listened in order, but very soon I think I'll start skipping ahead a bit. Partly because some of the early ones I'm... either really uninterested in, or have heard terrible things about. But also because Five isn't my favourite. Which doesn't mean I won't listen to his audios, but it does mean most of the early audios I haven't heard are Five audios, and I don't really feel like listening to, like, five of those in a row.

I'm also almost finished with the first season of Jago & Litefoot, which has been enjoyable. And I still have The Last Post to listen to, which... I've mostly been putting off because then I'll have run out of Liz audios. And there won't be any more. Ever. :(

In case anyone has missed it: The Mind of Evil is now available for pre-order on Amazon. I am both sad, strangely proud and extremely embarrassed that this means I will own every Pertwee serial on DVD come june...

While waiting for a stream of The Bells of St. John to come online last night, I accidentally ended up watching the first two episodes (serials?) of The Sarah Jane Adventures on YouTube, only to discover that the only streams I could find afterwards were from season 4... which was a bit upsetting, as I really liked what I'd seen (everyone is so cute and this pleases me).

I was also very amused to realise that the preview for Eye of the Gorgon struck me as very familiar... Wiki soon revealed to me that SJA actually aired on the Swedish children's channel a couple of years back when I was still in eighth or ninth grade. I must've caught it some day when I was home sick (I was sick a lot in those days) because I clearly remember there being... nuns. Evil nuns. And monasteries and green lawns.

As for when I actually got around to watching the new episode it was way, way too late. Curse you, daylights savings. But I watched it anyway, and actually found it... surprisingly enjoyable?

( The Bells of St. John (spoilers) )

TL;DR it's far, far from perfect... and yet I still rather enjoyed it. Perhaps because there were no major characterisation issues that bothered me? I can't judge Clara yet, and I do like Eleven (I'm just not fond of a lot of the writing of his era). So I'm looking forward to the next episode. And the episode after that, because ICCCE WARRIORSSSS. Even Ice Warriors written by Mark Gatiss...

Finally caved in and contacted my teacher re: the exam on wednesday and am currenly waiting for a reply. I basically told her some unforeseen family plans over the easter weekend have popped up and I won't be able to be present this week.

I hate, hate putting these things off, especially when they are difficult, but I've felt so bad about my abilities this weekend despite frenetic studying all week something had to give, and my mental health wasn't going to be it. If I don't perform as well as I hope once I actually write it, at least I can say I've tried to the best of my abilities.

To alleviate my emotional turmoil (and to wish me a belated birthday) stalkerbunny visited yesterday and ended up spending the night. We watched The Reign of Terror; wonderful historical (the Doctor's bitchin' hat and cape, the surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of Robespierre and Barbara telling Ian off about reading a history book before passing judgment on the people of the past are three of my favourite things) but THE ANIMATED EPISODES LOOK AWFUL OH GOD I PREFER RECONS OVER THOSE ABOMINATIONS. Have actually received my mother's blessing to record fanmade Who episodes in the garden out of pure pity because of the terrible quality of the animation.

But also, stalkerbunny is a star and annually makes me feel terrible about never being able to approach her level of birthday present awesomeness. Behold:

( AU in which the OTP travels all of time and space in a cookie jar )

I have the best friends.

On the antiquity front, ITV2 is airing a sitcom set in Ancient Rome as of today. While I'd love a show that explores the everyday side of Roman life, in a comedic light or not, my first impression is that this show is going to be to Rome what The Big Bang Theory is to geeks. I e really just regular sitcom tropes and jokes in a different, but ultimately not unrelatable, setting. Which kind of defeats the point of what enjoyment I'd get out of a series like that.

Still, I haven't seen it and I might yet try to, so consider this a signal boost, fellow history nerds.

Tomorrow, I turn twenty, so I guess I should write this entry while I still have time.

When I was younger, I was never really fond of my birthday. I didn't like the passing of time and I didn't really have any friends to celebrate with for most of my time in grade school. Now I don't much care, but the occasion always causes me to scrutinise myself more than usual... and necessary.

I don't like to think about it because that train of thought will inevitably lead me back to Station Depression; I don't want to think about the things have not achieved in twenty years of life. I don't know how to play an instrument, or speak more than two languages; I'm not a particularly proficient writer or artist. There are places I haven't seen and things I've never said.

But trying not to think about these things because I know how it will make me feel, I guess the one thing I have achieved is actually being aware of these things. And thereby having improved my life immensely.

(And no, of course I couldn't have done it alone, but then again - do we learn anything by ourselves properly?)

((Also I started skimming through an online course in elementary French.))

As for the actual birthday-- not much is going to happen. Sis is going to school (we share our birth date) as usual, so we won't really celebrate until the afternoon, and in either case dad is in Hong Kong because of work. So I'll probably spend most of the day sleeping, studying for the exam next week, and hopefully baking (white chocolate and pomegranate cookies! There might be photos).

And in the evening, I have to go with sis to her maybe-future-upper secondary school to fetch her submissions to the aesthetic alignment...

Could be worse, definitely. Could be turning sixteen, like she is.

First of all: I have Skype. Have had for quite some time actually, but am finally trying to get used to it properly. If anyone wants to add me, I'm teadoom there.

Lately on Tumblr, I've been seeing a lot of posts like these two floating around. It's interesting to me because it's a very prevalent idea that I've never been able to completely relate to.

( Read more... )

So maybe I actually agree, I'm just older now and don't think of teachers as the ultimate responsibility in these things. The people who actually decide how the educational system should work? Are politicians.

Which just goes to prove that teenagers lack perspective in some things, I guess (surprise!). This is one of many reasons I don't like my job, tbh. I feel like I can't relate to most students because this has never been my experience of school.


Less whiny stuff: this is now my new favourite icon. Herodotus! Making and embelleshing history since the 5th century BC! In his honour, have an inscription from the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia:

(context: women were never allowed to participate in the Olympic games; the majority of them didn't even get to witness them. During the Hellenistic period however, chariot races were added to the games, and rich women could actually sponsor them and share in their victory, if not participate themselves. A Spartan woman called Kyniska did so, becoming the first woman in history to win the Olympic games, and erected two monuments in honour of Zeus afterwards).

Sparta's kings were fathers and brothers of mine,
But since with my chariot and horses I, Kyniska,
Have won the price, I place my effigy here
And proudly proclaim
That of all Grecian women I first bore the crown.

(Swaddling 1984:42)

I am awfully fond of this inscription. Women of antiquity seldom got to make their voices heard, but there is such (rightful) pride and attitude in this. <3

(Also, considering the London Olympics of 2012 was the first time in history every participating nation had at least one female representative, I'm surprised I didn't hear her mentioned once... then again I'm not very into sports).

And oh, did I mention she got a hero-shrine erected to her in Sparta, on a site previously reserved for Spartan kings? We're rapidly approaching Actual Favourite Woman of Antiquity territory here folks, as far as I'm concerned.

I am ridiculously late with... everything I should have finished during the weekend, both fan-wise and school-wise. I don't have any entirely good excuses for this.

Was supposed to work thursday-friday last week, but as I had to meet up with a classmate to plan a presentation on the Presocratics and she didn't have time any other day of the week, I had to prioritise that. Not that I'm complaining about not having to work - but it does make me feel guilty, and I need the money.

But even more importantly, met up with stalkerbunny in the afternoon. We had Indian for relatively reasonable prices before going to the Mediterranean Museum; they arrange several seminars and open nights every month, and last week the theme was non-binary gender identity in ancient Greece and Rome.

So obviously, we had to go! I even dressed up nicely for the evening (that's how rarely I get out, folks). There is visual proof of this.

( Read more... )

Other stuff that happened this weekend:

- the books I ordered a while back arrived. Images of Classical Myth for uni, but also John Ajvide Lindqvist's Lilla Stjärna and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I'm looking forward to reading both of them, but right now I'm caught up with The Life of Pi and Seeing I (for henriettastreet).

- Daphne Ashbrook (who played Grace Holloway in the Doctor Who TV movie) has a Tumblr. I have known this for a while, but this weekend it was taken over by Daleks. My show, you guys. There's nothing quite like it (or its cast, presumably).

- Am currently doing the history of Greek literature at uni. Not entirely unsurprisingly, it just makes me want to write fanfic.

(If I wrote about Doctor/Master in relation to the purpose and narrative devices of the Greek tragedy, would that be fun or just super pretentious? Hmmm.)

- I'm a bit busy atm so the drabbles have been put on hold, but I promise they'll happen. As soon as I've finished the summary for my presentation on wednesday. :)

As I always am when March arrives, I've been suddenly struck by the realisation that my birthday is in less than a month. Come the 22nd of March 2013 I will officially no longer be considered a teenager. I don't have any particular feelings about that, positive or negative, it's just... strange how much faster time passes the older you get.

Not much is happening in life atm. Instead, let me present the kind of quotes that makes my course lit worth reading:


"[...] Finally the day came that was set for deciding about the marriage, and Cleisthenes was obliged to make his choice. Sacrificing a hundred oxen, he feasted both the suitors and all the citizens of Sicyon. After they had eaten, the suitors entered in a singing-contest and in public speaking. Hippokleides surpassed the others in these events. and as the drink flowed he asked the flute player to play him a tune, and when he did so Hippokleides danced.

Whereas perhaps in his own eyes he danced very well, Cleisthenes, looking on, now began to have doubts about the whole business. After a short pause Hippokleides asked that a table be brought in. When the table came in, he climbed up on it and, first, danced some Spartan dances, then some Attic ones, and finally, standing on his head, he kept time with his legs in the air.

Cleisthenes had a hard enough time with the Spartan and Attic dances, and because of the dancing and the shameless behaviour now hated the thought that Hippokleides might become his son-in-law. Nonetheless he restrained himself, but when he saw Hippokleides beating time with his legs, he could no longer hold himself back.

"O son of Tisander," he said, "you have danced away your marriage."

Hippokleides answered, "Hippokleides doesn't care!"

From this event comes the saying, "Hippokleides doesn't care!"

- Herodotus 6. 126-30 (transl: Aubrey de Selincourt, 1996).


The Greeks: YOLOing since roughly 560 BC.

The exam went... fine. Better than I expected? It hasn't been graded yet, but I know I passed. So that's good. The next course on Archaic and Classical Greece started today, and hopefully I'll be able to juggle this one better. Hopefully. Especially as I have so many fan projects to finish (though only the fic for unconventionalcourtship and my illustration for 50 Years of Whovians are things I've committed to/have proper deadlines).

Also since last: do you remember that short list of recipes I vowed to try? Well, I've made smoky roasted cauliflower twice since I posted that, so you should. Try that one. Because it's delicious, if you like cauliflower.

(Today there was almost no easily available food at home, so I whipped up some... tomato puré with onions and kidney beans and salsa in a pot. A culinary genius, I am not.)

As far as the F-List goes, hello F-List! Roughly a third of you have been back from Gally for almost a week now. :D It's been fun to see everyone having... well, fun. Though it does remind me how much I miss convention culture sometimes, especially now when I have close friends I would be comfortable with hanging out with.

Con culture in Sweden is 90% anime & manga-related, and the other 10 is mostly gaming, and the rest of Northern Europe isn't much better. I was never very good at the social part of conventions, but I do rather miss the idea, the atmosphere and the mere concept of an event aimed at fans, where you're surrounded by people who understand your interests. The closest place I could get to that these days would probably be somewhere in the UK, and I don't exactly have the resourced to pop over there. :/

So that's a bit sad. I guess I'll have to do with watchalongs and excessive imbibing of tea withing my own social circle for now. :P

Fan-wise I've found myself positively swamped by things to watch and listen to lately, Idek how I am getting through it all. It's almost becoming exhausting; whenever I'm not studying or online I'm trying to catch up on a billion Companion Chronicles, or Gallifrey audios, or watching Blake's 7... geek life is so hard, you guys.

And, because of a gifset of that one scene at the end of Planet of Fire, have some... weirdly disjointed Five!meta written past midnight?

Crossposting here in the vain hope someone will actually care, because meta on Tumblr is like screaming all my fandom thoughts into the dark abyss of the internet and hoping something echoes back.

( Resurrection of the Daleks/Planet of Fire/The Caves of Androzani )

(I wish I could meta properly. If I could, I would write all my zomg!deep thoughts about The Curse of Fenric, which is lovely and meaty and which I watched for the first time since July today.)

I accidentally a fic, guys. I should probably feel ashamed, as it's the first proper fic I've finished for my OTP and it's mostly about... cake and sex. Despite containing little to none of either.

I tried. Oh god, I tried.

Title: Rules of Transaction.
Author: regndoft / Taiyou_to_tsuki
Characters: Sixth Doctor/Ainley!Master.
Summary: The Doctor and the Master strike a deal - but the assets to be exchanged are not what either of them expected.
Rating: PG13.
Warning: Extreme silliness. Um. Brief mentions of drug use and sexual coercion, but doesn't actually contain these things?

Here @ AO3

( Laugh at the title. Laugh, damnit. )