"at the moment, I couldn't solve a two piece jigsaw"

[usuallyhats]

Tintin and the Secret of Literature is another book which I read because someone on my friendslist said it was good (nwhyte this time!). I found it very good overall, though I rather got off on the wrong foot with it when the author did that annoying thing of trying to justify his subject of being worthy of study by sneering at something that he considers not worthy of study - in this case, Buffy, which I of course think he is completely wrong about. (I also found myself going "really now?" at some of the more obscure flights of theoretical fancy, but then I often do. "Theory and Practice of Literary Criticism" was a fun module for me, let me tell you.) Other than that, it was pretty great and very readable: really interesting tracing of various major themes through the books, and I very much enjoyed the imagined operatic version of The Castafiore Emerald that finished it off. Ngl, I wish "Mumbo-Jumbo (Let Go Of My Hand)" was an actual aria.

Changing the subject entirely, it's the first stitch and witch of the new year tonight! I've been making these gloves (Ravelry link, sorry!) for a while and have nearly finished, though I decided to turn them into armwarmers after I made the first one and saw how messy the joins between the fingers looked. Also on the go, and what I will actually be taking with me, is an armwarmer for my aunt, an attempt to replace one that she had but lost. And then I shall be starting Knitty's Spoke, unless I decide that the yarn I have doesn't work for it.

Those are all the things that are happening in my life, apart from watching things on the tv that I do not currently feel moved to talk about, and going to work and whatnot.

Comments

[tigerpixie.livejournal.com]

Oooo, if Spoke works I wouldn't mind giving it a go! I love the sleeves :-)

[usuallyhats]

The sleeves are my favourite bit too! I will keep track of how many times I have to unravel it and start again...

[nwhyte]

Glad you enjoyed it; I too thought the sneer at Buffy (or more precisely at people who analyse Buffy) was profoundly misplaced, and I must say I didn't at all understand what McCarthy was saying about Barthes. But the rest certainly opened up new thinking for me.

[usuallyhats]

and I must say I didn't at all understand what McCarthy was saying about Barthes

No, I wasn't entirely with him at that point either. Someone's just returned a copy of S/Z to my library, though: maybe if I read that it would help. Or maybe not.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Oo. Tintin was an early and perennial fandom for me; I'll have to see what the book is like. Pity about the justify-by-sneer.

"TCE" would be an excellent light opera, I think. Wonder if the Fondation Hergé would permit a musical adaptation?

[usuallyhats]

Pity about the justify-by-sneer.
Yes, that was a real shame. I was completely on his side apart from that!

Wonder if the Fondation Hergé would permit a musical adaptation?
The book rather gave the impression that they're not terribly keen on that sort of thing, alas! But at least they let the audio versions through, I love them.

[ravenskyewalker.livejournal.com]

I find both Tintin and Buffy to be entertaining, and think that study of both is justified. Too bad about the sneer. Why not just enjoy writing a study of one thing without attacking another? Sigh.

[usuallyhats]

I understand his urge to justify his own area of study by separating himself from "those people", but it is very irritating. :(

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I own the Tintin box set (and gave another one to a friend) and have a little red-and-white checked rocket brooch which a surprising number of people recognise. :-)

I don't think I'd knit gloves. I've found magic loop very good for thumbs in fingerless mitts (there are minimal holes) and in fact use it for anything round, but I don't think I'd want to bother with fingers and having to close them off. Luckily I have some lovely Italian leather gloves for the worst of winter here so I'll stick to mitts. :-)

[usuallyhats]

Magic loop is my favourite! I cannot be doing with dpns. (I knit very loosely and they keep falling out...) Making fingers is a bit of a pain, but they seem to work out if I'm using a reasonable size wool - these ones are tiny tiny needles and sock yarn, so all the holes and stretched stitches were really obvious, alas.

and have a little red-and-white checked rocket brooch which a surprising number of people recognise. :-)
That sounds fab! The people who recognise it are clearly right thinking types. :D

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Magic loop is all I use too. I had so much trouble with DPNs and was very happy to find a method that works for me. I just need to find some really small points for me cables now and try socks; the place I get my KnitPros from is out of the small sizes.

I came across a Snowy icon on a comm this week. :-)

[usuallyhats]

:D I love seeing Tintin icons in the wild! livii has a lovely "Explorers on the Moon" one.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Tintin in space, very comic-ised! Love it! The Snowy I saw was threemonkeys' one. Ha! She has a Professor Calculus in her userpics (http://www.livejournal.com/allpics.bml?user=threemonkeys) too. :-)

[curuchamion.livejournal.com]

...there is a book that analyzes Tintin as literature that ends with an operatic version of The Castafiore Emerald?

WOW. I must see if I can find this.

[usuallyhats]

There is, and it is awesome. :D (It's by Tom McCarthy, if that helps...)