Chambers Passage and Thoughts on Moorcock's Elric

Currently in Earphones: Quantum of Solace soundtrack by David Arnold


So I've finally started reading The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers, and found a little passage that rather eloquently sums up where things went wrong in a long-past affair of mine...

"Whether because I am so cowardly about giving pain to others, or whether it was that I have a little of the gloomy Puritan in me, I do not know, but I shrank from disclaiming responsibility for that thoughtless kiss...Others who habitually do their duty and find a sullen satisfaction in making themselves and everyone else unhappy, might have withstood it. I did not. I dared not."
- The Yellow Sign

But back to the literary side of things, I only allowed myself to start reading Chambers when I had finished the collection of Elric stories I had bought a few weeks ago. Elric seems to me to be the Linkin Park of Swords of Sorcery, though a bit more refined. The moody, brooding character (both excellent words to use if you were playing a drinking game with any of Moorcock's stories featuring him) channels the teen crack-cocaine blend of angst, alienation, and cool. I now have a list of sci-fi/fantasy books that, had I read them in High School, I probably would have thought them to be the COOLEST THINGS EVAR. The Elric stories fit this description to a "t," and yet, coming to them now and having sampled far more in terms of authors and genres, I find them only entertaining/interesting/passable.

That's not to say that there's nothing to like. I particularly enjoyed the four part Stormbringer and what's essentially the origin story, The Dreaming City. And as I've said before, it was a wise decision on Moorcock's part to include the character of Moonlgum as a friend and foil to Elric. I don't think I could have endured endless stories of Elric moping about by his lonesome without a lighthearted character to balance him out (Although, at the end of Sad Giant's Shield Moonglum seems to totally break character for a scene, which threw off my appreciation a bit). I do recommend the Elric stories to all who enjoy a bit of fantasy, but you'll probably be more disposed to them if you were ever a teenage boy (or perhaps girl, if you were really gloomy).

Anywho, I'm off to read more Chambers.


Enough, More Later.
- James

Back to Work

Currently in Earphones: "The Musketeer" soundtrack by David Arnold

Right, so I've finally gotten (reasonably) over my jet lag enough to post all the pictures on Flickr. I also finally broke down and got a "pro" account, as they were placing limit after limit on the free account I had. "Oh, sorry, you can't have more than three sets of photos...Whoops! Upload limit per month!....Drat, only 200 pics allowed in your photostream...why don't you upgrade?" Since it is pretty cheap, I went for it, and will probably be the happier for it. So, without further ado, the link...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30553999@N03/sets/72157608817863135/

These'll have to do in place of finishing the travel narrative, it's been long enough that the memories are no longer as fresh, and I've forgotten most of the little details that would spice it up from a kinda okay travelogue to a pretty good travelogue. So! Photos for your perusal.

Finally got off my ass (a little) and applied for work at my old summer haunt, the Oakland Zoo. If I get it, it'll just be for a month, which suits me fine. Dunno how long I'd last doing the same thing I've done for a number of summers. I'm still on the lookout for other work (helloooo, craigslist), and am at least hoping for some different mind-numbing work than other jobs I've had.

Currently navigating the GRE site and (hopefully) signing up for one soon. I figure even if I don't know where or when I'll be attending grad school, I should take it early before all the knowledge I have leaks out of my ears.

Other than that, nothin's really happening. Oh, I gave my talk last thursday, and it went swell. Not really much else to say.

Bleh, I'll be back when more interesting things happen.


Enough, More Later.
- James

Back Home

Now playing: David Arnold - Fight Inn
via FoxyTunes

So I've made it back home in one piece, I had a blast in Italy. I'm a little annoyed at myself that I didn't do any write ups for my solo Ravenna trip, Florence, or Venice (not to mention the wonderful time I had in Ivrea!), but I'll be posting pictures soon, so hopefully that'll soften the lack of a finished travelogue.

I'm still getting over the jet lag, it's really weird to completely crash around 8 pm and wake bolt upright at 3 am. It definitely made things interesting for the author talk I had today as a follow up to winning the Prized Writing competition, but that went off well otherwise.

Right, I am completely zonked. Off to bed, and pictures later.


Enough, More Later.
- James