Mixed bag

[oloriel]

> Weather feels positively autumnal: grey, cold and wet. I am not objecting to cold: Monday was too hot for my tastes and it wasn't even particularly warm for summer. Yesterday was grey and had the sort of drizzle that can't decide whether it's rain or fog, which also appears to be the weather of choice today. I'd rather have proper honest rain, but I doubt the weather cares. Oh well, at least with the foggle no one has to worry about stuff getting washed away in the garden or elsewhere.

> It's due date day! So far, however, no change is noticeable aside from some light twinging. CTG showed a whole lot of action including some powerful contractions, but I am not really feeling anything. I'm wondering whether maybe it's actually noting down some of the more powerful baby movement as contractions? Offspring has, at any rate, grown very strong, and when he turns, my entire midsection moves along. The day before yesterday Jörg was surprised and delighted to actually see proper mini-human outlines move around under my skin!
The bump now looks ridiculous - whenever I think it can't grow any further it does, and it still grows only to the front. I look totally un-pregnant from behind, quite confusing some judo parents when I accompanied Jörg to a belt testing (he was the examiner, not a testee) yesterday...

> Offspring has also grown quite "vocal", in his way (that is, voicelessly). When I kind of need to go to the toilet but am too lazy to get up, for instance, he'll PUSH and PUSH and PUSH against my bladder until I have no choice. He'll do the same with my intestines if he somehow feels they restrict his movement. PUSH push push push push push. Sweety, I understand it's getting crowded down there, but mommy needs to eat and drink occasionally, yes? For your sake, too. If it's getting too cramped, why, there's a whole new world out here.

> Today's CTG session meant that I finally read those last two chapters of A Game of Thrones that were still missing. The pathetic attempt at epic promise in the last-but-one, and the hysterical masturbatory fantasy (with dragons!) in the final chapter, certainly drove home the point that I have no interest whatsoever to re-read this book or take a look at any of the sequels. Oh God. So bad. SO BAD. I couldn't even feel relieved when I'd finally finished it because I felt so horrible about reading it. I'll probably have to write a lengthy rant just to purge this from my brain. I know some of you gals really like these books and I'm trying to respect that just as you respect my shameless Tolkienism, but gods. I don't even. I don't think I want to take a look at the TV series, either, no matter how well it is done. Ye Valar, I had more fun reading Twilight and that's saying something. And I was really trying to like it this time around, too.
Maybe those contractions on the CTG were actually my stomach turning at the sheer awfulness of it all?

> Yesterday we sort of accidentally watched football. Sort of accidentally because so far we've only rarely zapped into some of the Women's World Cup games, quickly got bored, and switched the channel (neither of us care overmuch for football-for-its-own-sake, so watching a game just because it's a football game - even a world cup game - isn't really our thing). Now yesterday we zapped into the Japan vs. Sweden semi-final, and wow, that was intense and gripping and fast and actually quite exciting. So we ended up watching the whole thing. If football looked like that all the time, I'd probably be a proper fan. Seriously, that was beautiful. And Japan won, woo hoo! (Sorry, Sweden. At least you can kick for third place, now?) Now I just hope the Japan vs. USA game on Sunday turns out to be equally watchable.

> I've sorted various paper-y things that I've been procrastinating to tackle (some of them for years), finally decided to cancel my membership at the Cologne kendô club (I haven't gone to practice ever since I returned from Japan, and that was three and a half years ago), and sent out the CfL artwork for hhimring and lanyon. Perhaps this is my version of a nesting/cleaning spree?

Comments

[chili-das-schaf.livejournal.com]

Wow, I've definitely seen people being bored/unaffected by it but it's really one of those few books quite a lot of people with varying interests and tastes in books I know liked. You're for sure the first I met who went in such haterages about it. In any case, as long as you still respect the fandom, all is good. If I feel challenged, I'll just lounge into the "why Tolkien can't write prose for crap's sake" essay I always wanted to write ;)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I suspect part of it is just disappointment because I had such high expectations and heard so much praise for it, so when things kept annoying me, I wasn't just bored or unaffected but felt personally affronted... I should probably just have put it aside and be done with, but I didn't want to be a quitter again. Or perhaps it's a bit like your Inkworld experience - sometimes things just don't klick!
Any day I've inspired someone to write an essay is a good day! Although that essay has probably been written a dozen times already - but that's ok, gives you plenty of quotable secondary material ;)

[chili-das-schaf.livejournal.com]

Ah! Hype Backlash! (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HypeBacklash)

P.S: Lustigerweise ist eine Bekannte von mir in genau derselben Babysituation. Denen geht's wohl allen zu gut da drin! Die drücken sich doch nur vor den Problemen hier draußen, aber warum sollte es ihnen besser als uns gehen? xDD

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

A TV Tropes link? That's low, Chili, that's low. How am I supposed to get into nesting mood when I'll spend the rest of the day clicking links? ;)
But yeah, that's at least part of the problem, I think.

Ich hab meine Mutter damals auch noch zehn Tage warten lassen. Von daher ist das jetzt wohl nur gerecht XD
Witzig bloß, dass die Frauenärztin ja irgendwann zwischendurch mal Sorge hatte, dass der Knirps viel zu früh rauswill, weil er sich schon so früh in die Startposition begeben hatte...

[jokergirl.livejournal.com]

I had the same problem. I have a friend (English Major even!) who kept praising the book in the highest notes to me.

And really - well, I can read it, so the writing is not as godawful as 99% of all books currently on the bestseller list, but it is not great. Not even good. I have so many pet peeves about the writing (both style and actual problems) alone.
And then there's the plotholes. Oh, the plotholes. Or the constant expository reiterations of facts that are contradicted by the actual plot. Or the many failed chances at character development in the following books.
And then, very very very far down in that list is the fact that he's killing off characters, which most fans claim is the #1 reason for people hating his books. I couldn't care less that the suidically naïve lord got beheaded. What I care about is that I can't see how he even could reach adulthood with his world-view in a world like this.

;)

[jokergirl.livejournal.com]

If you're into eye candy though, I'd highly recommend the TV series. It's a pretty good distillation of the books, and has many pretty ogle-able men (and women).
Also, Tyrion's actor steals the show whenever he opens his mouth. Awesome!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I think Ned only survived because he spent most of his time up in the distant North. Although that doesn't explain how he managed to survive the wars and all. (What bothered me was that we didn't get to see his final night. I mean, dude, Mr. Suicidally Naïve And Noble just turned heel without much of a struggle. Yes, he did it to protect his family, but he must still have a lot on his mind while waiting for his "confession"! Instead, we don't hear anything from him until we get to see his execution through the eyes of the tomboy who annoys the heck out of me.
But I generally didn't manage to get into the mindset of any of the characters with the possible exception of Tyrion. And if I just don't give a damn about the characters (or actively hate them), I don't care if good or bad things happen to them. And a thousand pages are just too much to feel blah about. I mean, I don't mind Bad Things Happening and Everybody Dying, it's not like the Silmarillion is particularly cheerful. But somehow it works differently.

If I look into the TV series, it won't be for a while. Right now I feel so frustrated with the book that the poor series wouldn't stand a chance. >_>

[dawn_felagund]

Oh! Due date day! Alex says it perfectly in the icon. :)

(This is the reason why I couldn't have kids, even if I wanted them. I'm terrified at the thought! :) But I'll be thinking happy thoughts for you!)

I've not read (or seen) GoT. I know many, many people who love it. We own it; Bobby bought it years ago and is just now getting around to reading it because it's been so highly recommended to him. I was kind of ehhhh about the whole thing because everyone I know who has read it loves it. Now I finally know someone who doesn't! That actually makes me want to read it more to see into which camp I fall. Of course, I have to wait for Bobby now ...

Thinking of you! *hugs*

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Came and went without anything happening. So we'll see which day he chooses now!

(I'm a little scared myself - not so much of the birthing pain, which I am very much trying not to be afraid of because I suspect it'll only get worse when I'm scared, but of the utter life-changingness of it all. I mean, things have already changed plenty with the pregnancy, of course - but once the kid is out here, it's an entirely new world for me as well. Already I'm beginning to understand so many of my mother's quirks better...)

Heh, I'm curious to see into which camp you fall, too! Let's hope Bobby won't take as long as I did ;)

[rahja.livejournal.com]

oh heute wäre D-Day? :) Mach dir nix draus. Die meisten Babes kommen doch später und bei dir gibts All inclusive und 37 Grad kuscheliges Wasser. Bärchen wäre ja schön blöd, wenn es freiwillig in die kalte, helle Welt kommt *g* Hab heute noch an dich gedacht. Ich sitze hier schon auf heissen Kohlen :D Ich hoffe, du schreibst eine SMS, wenn Moppel da ist :D

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Aber aber wenn er gekommen wäre, hätte er im Frankreichurlaub zu seinem Geburtstag immer Feuerwerk haben können! ;)

Da drin ist er außerdem der Größte und hier draußen erst mal wieder der kleinste (außer für seine Eltern natürlich *g*). Verstehen kann man's irgendwo schon. Aber ich will ihn doch endlich live sehen! *wibbel*

Das würden zu viele SMS, ich werd aber dann so bald wie möglich hier einen kurzen Eintrag schreiben :)

[barbardin.livejournal.com]

Wah, das ist so spannend! Du musst jetzt regelmäßig (So im 3-Stunden-Rhythmus) hier was posten, sonst frage ich mich ständig, ob's doch schon los geht und du ewtl schon im Krankenhaus bist. :D

[chili-das-schaf.livejournal.com]

Ich denke so geht's ihrer halben f-list (inklusive mir xD).

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Tjaaa, wieso soll es nur für mich spannend sein >;)

[hhimring]

Thank you very much! Gosh, that's the last day I would have expected you to post the CfL artwork--on your due date! (By the way, I like the drawing you did for Russandol's birthday; a brave choice and well done!)

I didn't really warm to Game of Thrones either, but I didn't dislike it as much as you seem to have done. It just left me with no urge to read any of the sequels.

Take care, you two! Thinking of you!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

The powers of motivation... *ducks* So you can warn your sister about the mysterious mail now!

I probably shouldn't have forced myself to finish the book when I just didn't care. As it was, I kept waiting for whatever it was that others loved so much, and it never came to me, so the disappointment is all the bigger...

Thank you, we'll do our best!

[independence1776]

If it's getting too cramped, why, there's a whole new world out here.

*laughs* Hopefully, he'll get the message soon.

Hey, I'll read the GoT rant. I didn't hate it like you did, but yeah, we've talked about this before.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

He unavoidably will - I just hope he'll get it on his own! ^^

[cowboy-r.livejournal.com]

I ended up not finishing "Game of Thrones," and now you've told me that I don't need to. Thanks!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was... erm... underwhelmed ;)

:)

[(Anonymous)]

Ich freu mich so für dich! Ich freu mich schon so auf Fotos von dem "offspring".
Ich hab hier übrigens noch ein paar Söckchen rumfliegen. Etwas größer, also nicht für sofort. Ich hab nur leider keine Adresse von dir ... *hinthint* ;)
Liebe Grüße, dat Eesti

[arwensommer.livejournal.com]

I was actually thinking about you and offspring earlier this week! Thought about calling you, too! Glad to hear everything is (mostly) normal... Must be getting exciting! Good health and all that :)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Quite exciting - he still doesn't want to come out! He obviously inherited his parents' stubbornness. The hospital wants to induce labour on Friday, the gynaecologist (whom I still couldn't pronounce without tripping up ;)) says he should be fine until at least Sunday, but either way it's going to happen soon.

Thank you for the well-wishes! I still have your bra washing balls, btw >_> Would you like me to mail them to you, or are you happy to wait until we manage to meet up in person again (which may be a while, I guess)?

[arwensommer.livejournal.com]

How do you mean, a while? I was planning to come see the new offspring during my vacation... if I may? :)

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Of course you may, if you don't find that too boring :) I just still had the old plan of meeting up in Cologne in mind.