"Are you sure, sir? It does mean changing the bulb."

[usuallyhats]

1.) Reading an exellent book, as I am at the moment, is very cheering to the spirits. My train of thought goes something like this: "This is a great book. It surely cannot be unique in its greatness. Thus the world must contain many great books for me to discover. Therefore I deduce that the world is a wonderful place." Then I have to go and have a lie down until the Pollyannaish feelings wear off. (The book in question is Connie Willis's To Say Nothing of the Dog; I heartily endorse this product. It may help at this juncture for you to imagine me with two thumbs up, grinning widely, but I will quite understand if you prefer not to.)

2.) I have been watching a fair bit of Red Dwarf recently. I decided to try and catch up with all the episodes I never saw when it was on the telly by starting at the beginning of series three (having probably definitely seen the repeats of serieses 1 and 2) and proceeding from there in an orderly fashion. Apparently I've not seen nearly as much as I thought I had, because I've just finished series six and could only say with any certainty that I'd seen two of the episodes before. But this is all to the good as it is like having LOVELY NEW STUFF to watch. Anyway. The DVDs are great, they also get a hearty endorsement due to having many excellent extras: I always save the smeg ups for last as they are usually the best bit. The series six DVDs had a feature about the music which has a) inspired me to try and learn how to play the theme tune on the piano (Howard Goodall made it look so easy! But then he is v. good at the piano and I am a bit rubbish) and b) made me look forward to 'Blue' very much, as just a tiny clip of the Rimmer Song made me laugh like a hyena. Also I now have a new addition to my Red Dwarf Commentary Drinking Game.

3.) *reads over this post* I do talk a lot of nonsense, don't I? Oh well, hopefully it is entertaining nonsense.

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Very entertaining!! :D

I have heard Howard G on the subject of composing TV themes (of which he's done many) - he's fascinating to listen to.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

I'm glad someone else has discovered "TSNOTD" as another happy-making book. It is indeed a gem. (Looking forward to Ms Willis' next time-travellers book!)

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

I love, love, love that book. Though her other book that is connected to it was rather traumatizing to read.

[munditia.livejournal.com]

I just finished Doomsday Book, my first Connie Willis novel ever. Is To Say Nothing of the Dog also set among time-travelling Oxford historians? And does one need to know Three Men in a Boat fairly well to appreciate it?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I read To Say Nothing of the Dog last year, and loved it. You might like her The Bellwether which I found a lot of fun though I guessed the central premise right away.

Ahhh, the Rimmer Song just reduces me to helpless laughter. Right. I think I'll take some of those DVDs away on holiday. Red Dwarf is brilliant, except for when they lost Rimmer and got Kochanski who wasn't funny, I suspect because the writers can't write funny women.

[vandonovan.livejournal.com]

Rimmer song is one of the best things in the world, ever. It's fact.

[silly-cleo.livejournal.com]

It is VERY entertaining nonsense and I ♥ it. And obv that is all the endorsement you need. ;D

Eee, though, I am SO HAPPY with what you say about Connie Willis! I've had another friend trying to rec her whole body of work to me for YEARS! Is that one a good place to start? Have you read many others? (I'll totally try the library before I borrow more of your books... ;))

And HEE, Red Dwarf! I SO need to watch more of that. :D I love that you have a Red Dwarf Commentary Drinking Game.

Edit: another thing I feel the need to express my love for is your way of train of thought re: 'To Say Nothing Of The Dog' and Pollyannaish feelings about same. ;D