Origins and Forms of Greek Tragedy
I finished Origins and Form of Early Greek Tragedy on the weekend. It was fun – I really enjoyed it. He’s quite convincing, about tragedy not actually starting from satyr plays and Dionysus, but rather developing through Solon’s ideas (that bit I’m not entirely convinced about, not least because I don’t actually know enough about the time or the man), and Athens’ experiences in the Persian Wars, etc. What I really need to know now is why people today don’t take any notice, apparently, of what the dude said – this was published in the 1960s, and yet to this day it’s said that tragedy started from the “goat-songs” of Dionysus. So did someone write a rebuttal? Or has it just been ignored? Very curious… I might have to ask some people.
Bad cliches
I am over – totally over – being told that I am on a journey through life. Really, really over it. We had a thing about Health and Wellbeing at work today – it’s all week really, and today was the keynote speech, when we all got told how important our Health and Wellbeing was. But the guy – my goodness. He had his odd funny moment, but generally a bit boring. And really quite self-centred too. He talked a lot about himself. Which to some extent for me was ok-ish, because I am (sadly? weirdly? frighteningly?) a bit like him – introverted, into books, blah blah, so at least some of the things he mentioned were relevant to me; but for everyone else – boring! And incomprehensible, probably, too! ANYWAY – I got some chocolate out of it, so I guess that’s one good thing.
JTV
Have I mentioned how very excited I am about JTV happening?? It’s going to be GREAT not to have to watch bad “Top 50” videos!
Yay. Yay yay yay.
The squister
I got home to hear a message from the Ma, asking me to call her when I got home, but that nothing was wrong. This is a bit worrying, despite the reassurance, so I call… and my sister is on the phone! She decided to come home quite all of a sudden, from what I can tell – the bro knew, because they talked about it when he was with her in Edinburgh, but we didn’t know. She got home at 11pm last night, having been picked up by a couple of friends from the airport. Apparently there’s some special bell ring she and the bro have, so she rang the bell, and Mum answered with toothbrush in mouth, totally bewildered – but now, very happy. And she’s coming to visit next week! Whooppee!
Calendar Girls
This was a really lovely movie – I have always been a bit biased against Helen Mirren, thanks to the first movie I ever saw her in which I am trying very hard to forget, but she was fantastic. So was Julie Walters. I think it’s remarkable that this movie was based on a true story – how impressive! To raise nearly 600,000 pounds in a few years is brilliant. And the movie – marvellous. So much potential to be slushy, and it doesn’t take up any of it. Thankfully.
How to watch a season of West Wing in 4 days
Well, any TV series really:
1. Be obsessed.
2. Have an obsessed partner. Alternatively, have no partner. Having a not-obsessed partner is not an option.
3. Watch until late at night
4. Have at least one cold, rainy, disgusting day.
5. Be determined to boast to the friends that loaned you the DVDs about your acheivement.
6. Be obsessed.
Following on…
… from the last post, I think I might actually have to get out of bed, although whether I stay out is another question: I need to go and get my book, to try and finish it today. I’m currently reading The Origins and Forms of Early Greek Tragedy (my boss just laughed when I showed it to him – so I’m a geek, who cares? He admitted to being a news junkie…). I’ve got two new books to review for VATE, plus I’m getting one from ASif!, and frankly there are just a lot of books looking at me rather accusingly form the shelves at the moment. It’s making me feel guilty… and paranoid….
Saturday mornings
So I haven’t got up this morning to watch bad music videos. Instead, I have stayed in bed, listening to the rain which has put a spanner in the plans to prune some roses – mind you, that’s a plan that may well not actually have got off the ground, since it’s not likely to get above 11C today. I’ve watched the 7th episode of West Wing Season 6 (at this rate, we’ll finish it in a week… we only started watching it on Thursday night, when we watched the entire first disc – 4 episodes), and episode 8 of Farscape season 2. I might actually have to venture out today to get more Farscape, although when J gets back maybe we’ll watch more West Wing… and I am hopeful of getting more Stargate tomorrow, too, since our suppliers are apparently nearly finished it… It’s a great weekend to have no markin to do.
Jimmy and Alan
West Wing 6 – Jimmy Smits! Not entirely sure why he ranks as getting into the lead credits, but oh well. And in the lead pictures on the DVD is Alan Alda! No idea where he will come in, but I’m very willing to wait and see.
Farscape
The episode I am watching now has Alex Dimitriades in it! How funny! I can’t believe that he is still acting… I wonder how he is making any money. And, classically, he plays a lover.
