Procrastination, books, icons

[tarigwaemir]

Lowell House, on the Feast of Ste. Adelaide

For the first time since I've started college, I have a final before Christmas. It is one three-hour final, on the last day of classes, in my most relevant course of the semester (by relevant, I mean that it's my only science course, not including research). It's the ideal situation of course: all my other courses have their final exams and papers due after winter break, so right now I don't have much to do except study intensely for biology.

Amount of studying done so far: looking over papers and downloading all the lecture Powerpoint presentations. I am so doomed.

Argh. Anyway, I am going to hole up in the library over the weekend. I don't refrain from procrastinating at the library any more than I do in my room, but usually what happens is that I'm reading a novel instead of surfing the Internet, and I usually do get to work once I finish the novel. Books finished in the last two late-night library stints: Four Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula K. Le Guin, and Cut to the Quick and Broken Vessel by Kate Ross. I really like Le Guin's Ekumen stories: in Four Ways to Forgiveness, she posits two neighboring planets, one colonized by the other, with a slavery system being overturned as the Ekumen makes contact. The social system is based on skin color: "owners" are a dark blue-black and "assets" are light-skinned ranging from a dusty blue-grey to almost white. An interesting thought, that humans might evolve blue skin pigments in response to a different spectrum of radiation. Anyway, naturally a perfect setup for exploring colonialization and nation-building after revolutions, but Le Guin also writes eloquently about the difficulties of gaining a sense of self-identity after one has essentially been considered property all one's life. Also, the tension involved in maintaining "local" cultural traditions versus acquiring a "historical" knowledge that extends beyond the borders of one village, one society, one culture, one species. But most eloquent of all is Le Guin's argument for feminism and how the injustice towards women becomes ignored against the more obvious social problem of slavery. Women being the slaves of slaves. Anyway, I shall write more about it in the book blog after my final. Oh, a few days back, I attempted a "reading mix" (team7 mentioned this idea way back during the summer, and I've been itching to try compiling a list ever since), inspired by one of the four connected novellas in this book. Not at all happy with the results but if you're interested, it's here. Basically, books that provoked thinking about love and co-dependence...although I think what the list really shows is that I need to read more.

Oh yes, my reaction to Julian Kestrel, now that I've properly made his acquaintance. I can't say that I adore him as wholeheartedly as I adore Wimsey, but he's very charming indeed. Actually, as usual, I like the valet best: my favorite character is Dipper, the former pickpocket with a heart of gold. The strange part about reading the Kestrel mysteries is that I don't get absorbed in the mystery at all. I mean, of course, there are several Wimsey mysteries where I get sick and tired of the mystery, but usually I still feel that I'm reading it for the mystery. In Kestrel's case, I'm reading it for the mood, the atmosphere, the Regency setting. I don't delight so much in the characterizations as I do in the descriptions of Kestrel's elegant clothes, the exquisite repartees in the conversations of the ton and just the familiar mannerisms and conventions of Regency novels.

What I did today instead of studying for my final: icons from volume 20 raws for Ravages of Times.

1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.

Er, the last one (no. 6) is Zhou Yu right? I assumed he was, since the character was with Sun Ce all along. I rather liked the creepiness of Water-Mirror's nails in no. 3. Nos. 1, 4 and 6 are my first coloring attempts, and I think I really need to learn how to color-coordinate better. I mean, seriously, red and purple armor? What was I thinking? >_> I would like to make a series of icons like no. 2 for the rest of the Geniuses, but we'll have to see.

Credit would be nice, if you actually like these enough to want them. Oh wow, I haven't done any graphics work for so long...I really ought to start skinning again. Maybe during intersemester.

Yours &c.

Post-script: Ack, I nearly forgot.

Tagged by schwimmerin: The first player of this "game" starts with the topic "5 weird habits of yours" and people who get tagged need to write an LJ entry about their 5 quirky habits as well as state this rule clearly.

1. I stick my tongue out (just the tip, between the lips) when concentrating, particularly if I'm doing something with my hands.
2. I never crease the spine of a book if I can help it. This habit's entirely the fault of aetherangelette who used to insist that I maintain her books in pristine condition whenever I borrowed them.
3. I...read in the bathroom. Sometimes for hours. I try not to do it in college, but once during reading period, I was feeling depressed so I sat on the edge of the sink and read a library book until Nan knocked on the door to ask if I was all right. >_<
4. I tuck my hands into my coat sleeves (like a muff) rather than my pockets when it's cold outside.
5. I often begin conversations in Korean with "있지..." or "있잖아...". (To which my father always invariably replies, "응, 있어.")

Comments

[mercurysblood.livejournal.com]

No offense... but icon #6 is too funny. XD

[troisroyaumes]

Ahaha, yes, I overdid it and made him look like a girl. (Well, the black-and-white scan clearly had him wearing "eyeshadow". I just, um, elaborated.) ^_^

[worldserpent.livejournal.com]

You know, considering the make-up on some of the other characters, I wouldn't be surprised if he *were* wearing eyeshadow. XDDD Well, next cover we'll see.

[mercurysblood.livejournal.com]

The eyeshadow has been "universally assumed" by fangirls. No, I was referring to the pink plush (?)... XD

[troisroyaumes]

Hahaha, yes, I got carried away, didn't I? (But it was such an irresistible impulse!) XD

[thisresonance.livejournal.com]

Oh course he's blushing. :P Sun Ce just called him his heaven, you know. XD

Zhou Yu was probably all bashful, going "Shhhh! Bofu, not in public!"

Or maybe that's just my imagination... ^_^

No worries about the colouring. It looks good. ^_^

[troisroyaumes]

XD Thanks, I'm glad the colors don't look too bad. ^_^

Do Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang have a weird eyebrow faceoff when they meet? (Have they met yet in the latest chapters? I haven't gotten around to looking at the scans or mercurysblood's translations yet.) I can just imagine Zhou Yu putting his nose in the air and saying, "Well, my eyebrows are more forked than yours."

[thisresonance.livejournal.com]

I don't think they've met since Zhou Yu was unmasked. In a recent chapter, I think 175 or 176, Shui Jing sends Sixth and Seventh to congratulate Fifth on something or another. However, Seventh doesn't really like ZY (because of their differing ideologies) so he decides he'd rather do something else (like stalk watch Liu Bei).

[clocklike.livejournal.com]

o__o! Completely the same as you in habits #1 and #2 (though I got the book habit from my mother). I used to #3 too, ahaha. And #5--your father's response! XD

Best of luck on finals! You can do it, Tari 언니! 8D

[troisroyaumes]

고마워~ I just need to pry myself away from the computer...^_^;;

[datenshi-blue.livejournal.com]

2. I never crease the spine of a book if I can help it. This habit's entirely the fault of aetherangelette who used to insist that I maintain her books in pristine condition whenever I borrowed them.
3. I...read in the bathroom. Sometimes for hours. I try not to do it in college, but once during reading period, I was feeling depressed so I sat on the edge of the sink and read a library book until Nan knocked on the door to ask if I was all right. >_<
And here I thought I was the only one that did things like that XDDD

May I ask what your book journal is? I'd like to add it to my flist, if you don't mind ^_^

[troisroyaumes]

Yay, I'm not alone! XD

My book blog is here, and I did make an LJ feed for it at infinityblog if you want to add it to your flist. I'm afraid it's pretty incoherent; I don't really write proper reviews or critiques, just general impressions and reactions. But of course I don't mind. Actually I'm rather flattered that you'd want to read it! ^_^

[surreul.livejournal.com]

er, stealing icons three and four...
they're very pretty

[troisroyaumes]

Oh hi! Sure, go ahead; I'm glad someone wants to use them. XD

[schwimmerin.livejournal.com]

I've noticed habits 1 and 4 a lot ^_~

[troisroyaumes]

^______^;;

[schwimmerin.livejournal.com]

Also, you'll be fine on bio. Don't worry, you're good at it!!

[aetherangelette.livejournal.com]

Like #4. It has a preeety sky. The other ones, I've given you comments for. (I think I've lost even my slight command of the English language.)

And ... your bad habit #2... ME??? :innocent face: O_O (No, I don't laminate the edges of my textbooks...)

[tryogeru.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, 2 and 3 for me too! And 5 sometimes, well, not whatever that is in Korean, but sometimes while searching for a word or something, I'll say "nege, nege..." ...literally "that, that.."

[troisroyaumes]

Yay, am not alone! ::feels less embarrassed about confessing::

Well, "있지" translates loosely to "it is, you know" and I overuse it, so my father always replies, "Yeah, it is." He really likes these puns.

[cynic-in-charge.livejournal.com]

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA, YOU ARE READING KATE ROSS!

I lovelovelovelovelove Julian, but I think the tr00 wub for him doesn't really start manifesting until about the third or fourth book for me. I actually slightly prefer, "Whom the Gods Love" above "Devil in the Music," but structurally and writing wise, the latter is prolly the better book. It makes Jae and I so sad to know that she died after "Devil..." 'cos she was totally just warming up and moving from just really good into awesome territory. I love Sayers, but I think she started off really weak and it wasn't until she introduced Harriet that Peter really came to life for me.

(Tho' I totally and absolutely agree with the fact that Ross is more about setting and atmosphere than Sayers ever was, but I think that's a part of her appeal. zomg, Julian, I want to marry him so much).

[moderntime.livejournal.com]

Oooh yeah, let me second the love for Julian, and I completely agree with all of Eve's points. She is so OTM, it's not even funny.

Heh, Jae and I have had the exact same OMG it's so sad she died after The Devil in Music. My sister tummybumps and I both adore Kate Ross to bits and we were devastated by her death when we found out. While the other books are quite good, The Devil in Music is utterly brilliant and really does chart new emotional territory for Julian. And it has opera! <3 <3 <3

Dipper is utterly charming and in an ideal world, there would be Dipper fanfic and Sally fanfic. Hint, hint...

Eve, there's also a Julian short story in a murder anthology if you haven't read that yet.

[cynic-in-charge.livejournal.com]

Did Jae ever tell you how she tried to make me write Julian/Phillipa and I SOBBED, so she gave in and let me write something else instead? (Actually, I screamed at Chris/Millie too and wept my way through "I Capture the Flag" fic. Bookfic is such a pain to write, I do not know how you do it).

And I did not know about this short. I must find it when I've time. Which anthology is it in?

Tari, would you like to write us Dipper fic? Because I know you'll do it justice! ^_____^

[troisroyaumes]

Oh dear, Julian/Philippa? Jae is evil. I think I can actually see that happening, ohmygosh.

I guess I'll have to give Julian another chance to win me over completely. He's already halfway there, so I guess it won't take much more. XD I'm planning on reading Whom the Gods Love next, so we'll see how it goes. I am definitely totally in love with Julian's clothes.

And, ahahaha, we'll see about the Dipper fic. XD;;;

[serendip.livejournal.com]

Wtf, all this talking about me behind my back XD~

Canon was so obviously setting Julian up to be with Philippa XD She'd like go to school and shit JUST SO SHE COULD MATCH UP TO JULIAN. *tries not to get too worked up, hahaha*

Anyways, aren't you glad you started reading Kate Ross? <33333333333

[troisroyaumes]

Yup, yup. (Just read Whom the Gods Love at the library today, and SO MUCH LOVE for Verity Clare. Not enough Dipper though...::sighs::)

[troisroyaumes]

Opera? *_* Must hurry up and read the last two books. XD I remember my first exposure to Julian Kestrel was reading one of your fics where he's...playing the violin I think? Anyway, I've been meaning to read the books ever since. XD

The problem with writing Dipper fanfic is the problem of mastering his cockney slang. >_>;; But the thought is oh-so-tempting...now if only I wasn't lacking inspiration. >_<

[serendip.livejournal.com]

The Devil in the Music was the b00k that so showed that Kate Ross would have SLAYED, DAMN YOU CANCER!!! XD

Etcetc XD And slang is slang, you could do it. XDDDDDDDD

[jaebi-lit.livejournal.com]

#1 is gorgeous. What do the characters mean?

2. I have a friend like that. It made me paranoid about borrowing her books.
3. Me, too! I still do that and I always feel like the other people in the bathroom look at me weird for carrying a book with me.
5. That's really funny.

[troisroyaumes]

The characters in no. 1 just spell out her name, Shan Wuling. In Korean, 산무릉 which doesn't sound nearly so nice. It literally means "mountain-without-hill" which is a bit of a joke, I guess. ^_^

I've developed this habit of hiding the book as I carry it with me into the bathroom. It's best when I'm carrying a towel of course.

[jaebi-lit.livejournal.com]

Will you still be at school on Wednesday? If not, email me a mailing address for where you will be. Finals + holiday cards = no holiday cards sent out in a timely fashion.