The Hall of Fire

Tiptoeing in here very belatedly to say I've been rather surprised to find myself enjoying Season 2 of RoP. I like the depiction of Annatar's seduction of the elves--Celebrimbor's corruption is made quite convincing and painful. And I would love to hang out with that awesome, wise, strong-willed Dis...

It seems to me Sauron can't possibly be anyone the series has focused on thus far. He must be a powerful, convincing, fair-of-face type who is already conniving behind the Elven scenes: someone who can talk elves into thinking there is some kind of necessary deadline for making this darned forge. Th...

Voronwë, why do you think the Stranger will turn out to be Sauron? Isn't Sauron supposed to be corrupting everyone cunningly? Cunning doesn't seem to be the Stranger's forte! And he apparently WANTS to be good, even if he messes up. Plus, if a sweet-natured Harfoot says you're good, shouldn't that c...

I'm just starting a new "remix" (that's the term the publishers are putting out there) of Pride and Prejudice: PRIDE, by Ibi Zoboi. It's set in the gentrifying Brooklyn of today! I very much liked Zoboi's AMERICAN STREET, so I'm interested to see what she does with Austen.....

I am also just so sad about this loss. It's hitting me hard. I got to see her in person in 2013--a great highlight of my adult life. She was everything any writer or human being could hope to be. So poetic and so honest.

I was on an ancient plane that still had (gasp) seat-back entertainment, and so, being tired, I did not grade the pile of papers I had with me, but instead watched Moana, A Monster Calls, and Rogue One. I enjoyed them all, despite the size of the screen. I loved the book that A Monster Calls is base...

Dave, a tiny little bell rang in my memory, reading your description--but the memory bell didn't ring long enough or close enough to summon a title yet. Let me see if "not thinking about it" gets me closer...

I really enjoyed HIDDEN FIGURES!

Impy, Arrival is MUCH less magical-thinking-ish than Interstellar. I honestly couldn't quite abide Interstellar. Whereas Arrival I liked. The premise gets abbreviated (they learn the aliens' language quickly), but there's a logical explanation underneath what might seem "magical." I recomm...

I liked Arrival despite the handwavium in the whole linguistics bit. Of COURSE it would be harder--as in "impossible"--to learn an alien language just by writing "human" on a board and holding it up in front of you! Ha ha! There's an old TV show called "French in Action"...

Thanksgiving. Whole family, ages 9 to 79, gathered around the piano--and my daughter picked up the viola and our uncle the guitar--and we all sang a couple of glorious, heartfelt rounds of Hallelujah, and it was so sad and so sweet.

I'm so sorry, Frelga.

Maria, this wolf is amazing!

We've been on a Nickel Creek binge recently at our house....

Yes, so frightening! More prayers for JewelSong coming from me (getting all tangled up with Frelga's prayers and flying together into the east, I guess).

Jewel is such an amazingly energetic and vibrant person that it's a shock to have news like this.

I know. Somehow Lahore has just tipped me into despair. What can be done? Really. What can we do, apart from not repeating the mistake of the Iraq War in the future? And how likely is it that we will not repeat that?
Those poor kids playing in the park!

I'm going to see Hamilton in December! It's our birthday-Christmas-graduation present to the twins, and I get to tag along!

Quakers! Yay! I'll be back as soon as I've gotten through teaching this second "first day of class".....

Another mug of tea raised in honor of the Professor!

That's such terrible and sad news, Jewel. I'm sorry!