Dept. of Relief

[kaffyr]

So It's Sunday

And I can say I'm ambiguously relieved (because I'm never completely relieved. Never, ever. Because of my dour family history. Because it's me).

 I've purchased nearly all the Christmas, Yuletide and other holiday gifts I hope to get. The one exception is BB, because he is very difficult to find gifts for. He's given me at least one suggestion, on which I'll take him up, but I want to find something else.

I got through our Sunday condo association board/membership meeting. It took less than an hour, every one who came (and I think we only had eight of our 18 units care enough to send representatives) supported the budget and the 25 percent assessment hike. The one person I thought would come and cause more problems didn't. Yay, us, and go, me!

I've gotten my fandom_stocking  "to-do" list done. (I'm a little disappointed that not everyone who once got involved in fs got involved this year, but that's life, I guess.) Note that I didn't say I've gotten any stocking stuffers completed. That would be too much to ask for. I shall do those at the last minute, fueled by the adrenaline rush of deadline-induced fear.

I still haven't sent out holiday cards, although a pile are sitting on the table, waiting to be written and addressed. BB and I have to go out later, to attend FB's and Ms Emily's latest radio play, so I'll try to get at least 10 done in time to drop them in the mail by the time I walk out the door.

BB and I are all caught up on the animes that we're watching together. Tomorrow, he goes for his radioisotope uptake thyroid test (think I got that phrase right), and we'll see where that leads us.

I also got an Internet advent calendar, and I've decided that if it's not the best thing ever, it's certainly one of the best things of this month.

We probably won't get a tree until Thursday or so, which is four days later than we normally get it. Normally, "pick a tree" day is on the 15th, but that's tomorrow, and I have deadline crap all day, and an incredibly boring school board meeting to attend at night.

Oh, and I'm reading the second in the Rivers of London series, and enjoying it. Thank you, Paul Cornell, for getting me into supernatural British police procedurals through your two London Falling novels (London Falling and The Severed Streets).  The Rivers of London stories are much less intense, and a lot funnier, than Cornell's works, but both series are worth it. Cornell's two novels are definitely full of both terror and horror, and I'm waiting for the third in the series.

Comments

[shanghaied]

The Rivers series isn't bad - I find Aaronovitch a bit lazy when it comes to wordcraft**, and for someone who purports to be describing London life at street level he makes the occasional ball-drop that causes me an occasional jaw-drop - but yes, the novels are fun. I certainly prefer them to Jim Butcher's 'how many lame-arse mythological entities and mythoverses can I cram in this time?' Dresden Files books.

And how do I, who so rarely can be bothered to read fiction apart from the works of Terry Pratchett, come to be familiar with these? Why, because my DB loves 'em. And wants to talk about their strengths and weaknesses with someone he loves, i.e. me. And I, in serial instances of The Things We Do For Wuv, keep buying him these novels as pressies. I know, I know, I'm too kind :P :P :P

** For the record, the very latest Rivers novel, Foxglove Summer (which I bought for him a few days ago and read first since I read very, very, very quickly), shows stronger wordcraft-fu than the previous four; I found the writing tighter and the characters for the most part better drawn and more believable. Just saying.

[kaffyr]

I haven't read the Butcher novels, largely because I think I tried one, and the level of amped-up Alpha Male douchery I was supposed to accept was unacceptable.

The Rivers of London series is definitely light reading, but I'm finding it amusing. If you can ever bring yourself to try Cornell's two books, I suspect you'll find them less light, more real, and a fuckton more frightening, in several different ways - including the ways of the human soul.

And I, in serial instances of The Things We Do For Wuv, keep buying him these novels as pressies. I know, I know, I'm too kind

Having someone who loves to talk about books they've read? That's a wonderful thing. And I imagine you're more familiar with being kind than might be suggested otherwise.

[shanghaied]

level of amped-up Alpha Male douchery I was supposed to accept

Ahahahaha, spot on! And what annoys me more, in the case of the lead character, is that it's alpha male douchery purportedly disguised as 'why would anyone desire me when I'm such a loser?' angst. RL mate-hunting and romantic relationships are complicated enough without adding extra layers of trite fiction-tropes. In fairness, though, Dresden's brother is a fantastic, damn near Whedon-level-believable-and-sympathetic character. And so begging to be played by the Hiddleston :D

But no, I can't imagine why I'd ever want to read any other 'supernatural police procedurals'. When I say I don't voluntarily do fiction, I actually mean it. I got my general fiction out of the way - in the form of thousands and thousands of books - well before my mid-teens; I never had any interest in anything to do with magic(k) in fiction until a friend beat me over the head with a Discworld novel, and that's as far as it's ever likely to go; and my interest in any - ANY - fictional portrayal of police procedural stories***, in text or screen forms, was permanently filled to satisfaction by inhaling the 87th Precinct novels and watching the Dirty Harry films. I've had friends in the Met, I've seen the vile side of policing, I consider the vast majority of RL cops to be little more than bureaucrats with a very dodgy psych profile and a government licence to bully, and... well, you get the idea :D

I've also subjected myself to another series, the 'Laundry novels' by the fairly overrated Charles Stross - again, because my DB loves them - though I drew the line at buying any since our office nerds always bring in copies to pass around. The concept (Lovecraft wasn't so much a storymaker as a blogger, demonology is actually a branch of higher maths, and MI6 has a Department of Magick as 'twere) is interesting, but once again I find the wordcraft barely up to scratch.

I love reading and talking about what I've read with other people whose intellect and erudition I respect. It's just that what I love to read is history (more social than political), sociology, science... history of science... philosophy of science... more science... even economics and politics... pretty much anything that isn't fiction :D :D :D

Having someone who loves to talk about books they've read? That's a wonderful thing.

Oh yes! And doing that is the mainstay, and only truly flawless part, of our relationship. We first bonded over an Isaac Asimov essay about the idiocy of New Agers (again, not fiction), and a decade and a half later we are still discussing what we've read on an almost daily basis :-)

I imagine you're more familiar with being kind than might be suggested otherwise

Of course I am! I had to learn about kindness, since it's not in my natural repertoire, and I always take my studies seriously. Because I recognise the necessity of social grease, I - the sociopathic 'monster' - am the one who helps little old ladies across the street. And who is bound, figurative hand, foot and soul, by a viciously stern, logic-based moral code. Which probably goes to prove something, but fecked if I know what...

*** And likewise, I lack even the most minuscule scintilla (or other posh-sounding words to that effect) of interest in medical dramas. Or most dramas of any kind. This is also perhaps to do with my 'mirror neurons? WTF are they for?' wiring :)

[bibliofile]

I got a card from you! It was just bright and sparkly enough. Hooray!

[hamsterwoman.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear that you're continuing to enjoy Rivers of London! (I'm still trying to get into the London Falling novels, but I fear they're probably too dark for me... Peter's narration is much more my speed.)

[kaffyr]

Peter is a wonderful narrator; you get the feeling that he still loves the force, even as he cheerfully trashes it while he talks about it. The author is a funny, funny man.

You're right; the London Falling series is pretty damned dark, although there is always, always, a bright seed of hope in it. And it's intense, too. It's rare that a book can make me jump, but London Falling did. And The Severed Streets made me gasp. My FB loves both of them, so we can get together and go "OMG, didn't that scare the pants off you?!?" in delight together. Heh.

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

I did fandom_stocking for a couple of years and really enjoyed it - I remember one year making a point of writing at least a drabble for everyone who wanted something related to Doctor Who and in the eras I was able to write for.

But then they moved to Dreamwidth... I'm not on Dreamwidth and am just not interested in spreading my online presence further than it is right now. I wonder how many others may be of the same mind?

[eve11.livejournal.com]

the dreamwidth bit is annoying, however I did do it last year without having a dreamwidth account. I just use OpenID and log in with my LJ identity. Still, not sure if I'm going to do it this year because of time constraints.

[kaffyr]

Still, not sure if I'm going to do it this year because of time constraints.

Sadly, the sign-up period officially ended yesterday, but next year it would be great to see you on the list!

[kaffyr]

I'll second what eve11 says, although, as I told her, it's too late for this year. If you decide to try it again next year, you'll probably find me there again; it's the one writing effort I take active part in.

I hope your holiday season is progressing well, and with maximum true cheer!

[eve11.livejournal.com]

Ha, well you have a good to-do list to go yet, but you are way ahead on the holidays than I am! I don't even have a to-do list... O_O

I am glad you are at least ambiguously relieved?

[kaffyr]

you are way ahead on the holidays

This is the first year I've ever gotten this far, this soon. I'm trying not to crow too much, because god knows, the universe might construe that as hubris, and I'd probably mess it up and move no further through my list than I've reached thus far.

Ambiguously relieved is pretty much the most I can feel at any given time. Heh.

[time-converges.livejournal.com]

Oooh, the Rivers of London series is so good! I haven't read the Cornell ones yet, but it's on my to-read list, too. :)

[kaffyr]

I really love the breezy manner Aaronovitch affects in his writing, even when the subject matter starts to turn a little dark. It helps, when there are macabre things going on.

I'd love to hear what you think of the London Falling books, once you've read them!

[tardis-stowaway.livejournal.com]

I love Paul Cornell's London Falling novels, though as you say there is rather a lot of horror. In The Severed Streets, the direction taken by the plotline involving the famous author who appears (being purposefully oblique to avoid spoiling anyone) took me entirely by surprise. I will have to check out the Rivers of London, because like London Falling but funnier certainly sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Good job you for getting your holiday shopping done! You've got me beat.

[kaffyr]

the direction taken by the plotline

Yeah, the second novel's ... unique ... plot turn had both FB and I going WTF in a major way, and that's one of the reasons I really want to read the next one. And definitely look for the Rivers of London. They're kind of addictive, I'll warn you (at least they seem to be so for me.)

The holiday shopping was easy because of a decision BB and I made, one that makes us happy, and will, we think, make recipients happy. I'm not done yet, though, so there's still time for me to get behind. Heh.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Lots of great things and good achievements, go you! :D That's so many good things done!

Fingers crossed for BB's thyroid test ♥

[kaffyr]

Thanks, I did end up looking at that list and going, "Not bad, eh?" (which is a very Canadian phrase, as those who know the culture can attest.)

We're desperately hoping the thyroid test actually proves to his endocrinologist that his hyperthyroidism needs to be taken care of. The man already admitted in his notes (which he didn't show BB - another doctor had to point them out) that BB has hyperthyroidism. He just doesn't think that all of BB's symptoms - which read like a rundown of hyperthyroid symptoms, per the Mayo Clinic and per BB's other doctors - were caused by hyperthyroidism. It's frustrating beyond belief. But BB pushed him to get this final test done. We may have to push some more for the endocrinologist to authorize the proper treatment, which is essentially to kill the thyroid, and take meds for the rest of BB's life to maintain minimum levels of the chemicals the thyroid normally produces. But that's what we believe is going to deal with BB's ongoing illness.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Not bad indeed! ;)

Seriously? That's just unbelievable, what the hell is wrong with this endocrinologist? o.O Fingers crossed indeed, I really hope the results follow your hopes and BB can get proper treatment!

[robling-t.livejournal.com]

Rivers of London is one of the very few "X crossed with cop-show" properties I've ever been able to get into, I think because it's the rare one that doesn't look like a cop-show with X just arbitrarily grafted onto it. (My brain... does not do cop-shows. Full stop. I am coming to think that this is of a piece with the way it doesn't process poetry, dance, or jazz, either -- I simply don't have a long enough attention span to hold enough of the pieces in my mind at the same time to figure out what the hell is going on.)

[kaffyr]

The London Falling books are worth at least a try, largely because the magic isn't, as you say, arbitrarily grafted on. It's truly about a team of coppers who have to find their way into some sort of reasonable magical competency to survive, after they end up getting accidentally thrown into that world (no spoilers there; largely what's on the cover.) And the characters are people you come to care for deeply.

Ah, jazz; BB introduced me to jazz when we first met. At first, I listened only to please him, and it was a bit off-putting. He actually threw A Love Supreme at me within the first couple of years we met. AAAAAaaaaaaaaaa - yeah. But somehow, over the years, its' grown on me more and more, all the various flavors of jazz. And now it's pretty much the majority of what I listen to. Yeah, it surprised the hell out of me, too. Heh.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, fandom stocking!! Bringing joy (and last minute sweating!) to all. *Grins*

Crossing fingers for BB's test - and hoping the school board meeting goes by quickly.

*HUGS*

[kaffyr]

Thanks - the school board meeting had better go by quickly; I've a lot more cards to address!

*hugs*

[thisbluespirit]

Aw, even if you're only ambiguously relieved, that doesn't sound too bad! I hope work is okay for you this week, too. ♥

[kaffyr]

Thanks - I'm about to launch into work mode as we speak (er ... as I write, I mean. Ahem.) so the good wishes are much appreciated! ♥

[clocketpatch]

Hmmm I keep hearing giod things about Rivers if London... me thinks it warrants a check.

I was certain there were less f-s entries than usual this year. There also appears ti ve aome people trollong in the stockings. People, why musr you be awful? I sent the mod amessafe telling her how muchI appreciate the service because with this and thar I'd beheartbroken if she decided it wasn't worth running.

[kaffyr]

Oh, definitely try the series; the books are a quick read, and well worth it (at least in my opinion.)

I think there was a last minute rush over at f_s; they seem to be over 300 participants again this year. I felt really bad for the mod when I heard about the trolling, and commiserated with her about it over on her private journal.

She's looking for tag wranglers; something about which I have absolutely no knowledge, but I hope those with some wrangling abilities take her up on her request for help. Like you, I'd be heartbroken to lose the community.