Same old, same old...

[wiseheart]

Utterly boring stuff behind the tag - read at your own peril. Or don't. It's up to you.

Real Life is eating up my time. Which means: either writing or doing research in whatever hour I can spare. Sadly enough, it means that no time for reading... at least no time for giving authors I haven't previously known a try. I do re-read some old favourites from time to time, but that's about all.

My reading habits have seriously deteriorated in the recent years. Since I rarely find the kind of stories I'd like to read, and since the people whose stuff I used to read and comment religiously rarely returned the favour, I've simply fallen out of the habit of reading. A shame, actually - I'm sure I'm missing some great tales. Well, perhaps when I'm retired - which is only a matter of oh, seven or eight years? If I live that long, that is.

Mum's going to have her next control CT at the end of the month, so she'll have another blood test tomorrow. Poor thing can't stop fretting. So far, all of her tests turned out negative - I hope it will stay so - but she's scared shitless all the same. I can't blame her. That thing last year was a shock, for both of us.

Am doing ungodly amounts of research for the Tosh/9th Doctor story, about 12th century Japan. Too bad that I suck at Internet research. Never really find the things I'm looking for. Must be the total lack of talent where finding the right search keywords is concerned. Ah, well, at least it's a real adventure this way. I never know what will turn up next. My head is humming from all those Japanese names like a beehive.


As I said: completely boring stuff. So, I think it's safe to allow comments, eh?

Comments

[makamu]

Re: reading and writing: I can relate, although in my case it is probably more because I read an ungodly amount of stuff for uni (note: I don't have to, I just do) and there comes a point where even my brain says "No more!".

Re: Japanese: The offer still stands :) *hugs*

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know what it's like. I never use one per cent of all the background trivia I dig out for every dratted story - I just like to *know* things. Like the names of Minamoto no Yoshitune's wife and daughter (never found them), or how old Taira no Monemuri's sons were when they got executed... that sort of thing. Or the very exact description of the Battle of Dan-no-ura. Or what kind of ships they used in that battle.

Short of that, if you could help me find an online English translation of "The Tale of the Heike", I'd be eternally grateful. All I could hunt down were two extremely short paragraphs cited somewhere, and they weren't even the parts I really needed.

Detailed descriptions of Japanese clothes around 1180-90, especially samurai armour and weapons would also be nice.

Yeah, I know I'm insane. I could write the next chapter without that. It's just this irresistible urge to *know* things...

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

I think your love of and attention to details is one of the things that makes your stories so captivating! It's clear you didn't just sit down one night and dash off "Leggie-Loves-Borrie-#1,552,397." Alas, I know almost nothing about Japanese history and absolutely nothing about "Doctor Who" at this stage (I last saw it semi-regularly when Jon Pertwee was the Doc...), so I'm no help there. In fact, I don't even know what to look for when searching the magazine shelves at the bookstore (HINT HINT HINT!!!), and someone's birthday is soon to be celebrated (HINT HINT HINT)!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

We can have words about that. In private. If you want to.

The fun part is, I've actually found out the name of Yoshitsune's wife. And that of his mistress. And I found a great website about 12th century Japanese clothes. Still looking for Munemori's sons, though. I think they have my picture in some encyclopedia next to the article "Obsessed with trivia". *g*

I've asked the_wild_iris to find me a copy of the book version of The Tale of the Heike (http://www.gotterdammerung.org/books/reviews/t/tale-of-the-heike.html); there's an English translation of it by someone called Helen Craig McCullough. But since she's my main source of Merlin and Dr. Who stuff, you might want to talk to her about it. You know I'm quite happy with the cheapest second-hand copies, as long as they're still in one piece and reasonably clean. (HINT, HINT). Also, there's a complementary book titled Yoshitsune (http://www.gotterdammerung.org/books/reviews/y/yoshitsune.html) by the same author,which also looks very yummy and helpful.

Speaking of exchanged gifts, have you ever found the time to listen to the "István a király" rock opera? And if yes, what do you thin about it?

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

I hope your mum's tests are OK. I'm sure they will be; the last went so well. Please give her my best wishes.

I know what you mean about Real Life :(

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I have. She sends her love. :)

Are you still in the "falling-asleep-after-work" mode? ;)

[artemis10002000]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Mom!

Hope real life will relax a bit and leave you more time for fun stuff :)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a matter of perspective, I guess. Should you get around to see the new Tosh chapter, you'll see that I've had entirely too much fun with recreating late 12th century Japan for this particular story. Even if Japanese scholars would probably tear their hair out. *g*

Thanks for the crossed fingers, we can use them.

[artemis10002000]

That's the spirit! As long as the research is fun, more power to you! I can empathize, I find research fun, too (usually, anyway)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

It *is* fun! But it frightens the readers away, I'm afraid. There was only two people who dared to face the most recent chapter, and one of those was my beta. Yeah, I actually do have one for this story. Imagine that.

[artemis10002000]

*nods* Yeah, I can understand that a very history-heavy fic would be frightening to readers who aren't big history geeks such as us. But at least you're having fun writing it and the few readers who aren't scared away enjoy reading it.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I know. But I wanna more! 'Cos it's a great chapter, and I worked sooo hard to get it together! *pouts like a six-year-old*

And now I have to write the big naval battle, and I'm scared shitless, as I don't know a thing about 12th century sailing ships in Japan, and couldn't find a detailed description of the battle, and... and... and life is just being unfair! *sniffles*

Besides, someone on ff.net picked on my grammar again, and I'm really getting fed up with that. My grammar may not be perfect, and there may be a few typos, but it's still better than what a lot of native speakers have the cheek to post.

[artemis10002000]

*big hug*

Ugh, naval battles! Can't blame you for being scared! Writing a naval battle would be scary even if it weren't 12th century Japan, but this makes it all the more scary. Can't you skim the battle?

I would tell you not to let the grammar-picking reviewer bother you, but I know it's easier said than done, so lemme just give you another hug *hugs*

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

No, I can't skim the battle, unfortunately. Once you find the time to read this part, you'll understand why. I can't tell you now, it would spoil the surprise.

The problem is, I sick at research, when it becomes serious. What I'd need would be an online English translation of "The Tale of the Heike", but haven't been able to find one yet. Too bad, I'd like to actually read the scene where the Imperial Grandmother calls her son, the Taira general the son of an umbella salesman because he hesitates to kill himself rather than being captured. I'd like to use that scene, but until I know how it fits to the rest, I don't really dare. *sighs*

[artemis10002000]

That sounds difficult. I wouldn't know where to start, either. It sounds like a very obscure text (for Western audiences, that is).

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Actually, the two short excerpts I managed to find are rather charming - which is a strange thing to say, considering that one of them describes the death of a 17-year-old Taira prince! Wikipedia says, ToH had been told orally for a couple of centuries before it got written down, so it still has some of the naive charme of folk tales, I guess.

In any case, I would love to read the whole thing. There is an English translation in printed form (aka: a book), but I don't think I'll have a rat's chance to ever find it. And I haven't managed to hunt down more parts online.

[artemis10002000]

*laughs* Well, it does seem like a strange thing to say, that the death of the prince would be charmingly written, but I think I get what you mean.

Your research frenzy actually motivated me to get started on some research for Grimoireverse world building I'd been delaying for years - well, the pre-research phase, I got the books from the library. They're renovating, so I wouldn't be able to get them till January. I signed them out with a machine, but bringing them back will mean handing them over to a person. I reckon I'll earn some very odd looks for returning a stack of books about satanism! *lol*

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Why would you need such books for your story? It's an original one, right?

[artemis10002000]

Yeah, it's original. I need to understand the medieaval or post-medieaval view (especially the peasant's folklore) on heaven and hell, the occult and the devil and all that jazz better since the character who ended up my main narrrator is up to his eyeballs in something similar. It's not a medieval story, actually in the future, but it's the era that comes closest to the mindset of my world's people.

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Mum! the last thing the two of you need right now is a health scare.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thank you. They say it's five years until we can be entirely sure that everything is all right - I don't know whether that's true or not. But even so, she's "only" 78, and considering that Granny lived to the ripe age of 96, I do hope we still have ample time to spend together.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I hope all goes well for your Mum.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Linda. She's recovered so wonderfully, but it's always fretting time right before the next control.

[crowdaughter.livejournal.com]

*Hugs* Best wishes for your mom, and for the outcome of the CT!

And I know what you mean. I have stopped reading a lot two years ago or so, too. I used to read a lot online and offline, fanfiction and books and non-fic books and sstuff... now, mostly the non-fic stuff and the occasional forums remain. Stories? I am so behind on reading and reviewing at the MEFAS this year it is just not funny anymore. And I need to start on writing my next chaptwer of my story - at the moment I am down to one chjapter per year. :(

Work is eating up my creativvity and time, and my free time is too limited to even pursue my hobbies as I used to do. So, it happens to all of us, it semms. At least you are still writing! :)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thank you. *hugs back*

Yes, work seems to get more aruous with each passing year, doesn't it? Either that, or we're getting old. *sighs* And our respective yet equally idiotic governments try their damnedest best *not* to allow us to retire while we could still enjoy retirement.

I think if I weren't able to write, I'd have offed myself decades ago. There have been a few close calls; my writing was what saved my life every time.

[crowdaughter.livejournal.com]

And our respective yet equally idiotic governments try their damnedest best *not* to allow us to retire while we could still enjoy retirement.

That part is idiotic, isn't it? If they actually would have work for all these people not yet allowed to retire, or if the jobs they had would still offer some time to take things slow, do them with care, and so on, I could maybe understand the reasoning. But as it is, they do not really want you in your job anymore once you have slowed down and start to get ailments. It's pretty cynical. :(
That said, I sometimes feel scared when I realize that i am just three years away from fifty. O_O

I think if I weren't able to write, I'd have offed myself decades ago. There have been a few close calls; my writing was what saved my life every time.

Aw, dear! *hugs more* I am glad you can get new hope and sense out of writing. Your writing is well worth it, too! :)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

We all have our bleak moments, I guess - but one can learn to deal with them, without extensive (and expensive) therapy. I used to know a girl, she was at least two decades younger than I, who went to a therapist. She told me, she did it because she paid the therapist to listen to her - which nobody else would do. Says a lot of our current society, none of which is complimentary, don't you think?

And yes, the job situation is ridiculous. They keep wailing that the young people don't find jobs (not that all of them would be so desperate about that; at least not over here), but they won't let us retire and free the jobs for the younger generation. What a sick logic... or the complete lack thereof! If they weren't all only interested in their frigging profit, they would find a solution.

I wonder if any earlier era had served the Mamnon quite so exclusively as ours does.