Peter Jones and the conjugation of existence

[fajrdrako]

Never enough time for all the things I want to do, or that I think I should. Keeping up with dishwashing seems like the summit of my accomplishments these days.

After three months of study (or, more significantly, not-study) I have got to the first page of chapter one of Learn Ancient Greek. I spent a long time on the introduction because I wanted to get it right - that's my excuse, anyway.

I love Jones' writing style. An example from chapter one:

The verb 'to be' always seems not to be (yes, Hamlet, a question?) regular. But it is so common one may as well learn it first and get the agony out of the way.

There is also an important gain in going this. With a very few extra words, you can enjoy the most gripping exchanges with other Greeks at once, asking (for example) "who are you?" and replying "I am who I am" or "alpha and omega" or whatever. This is known as the 'oral method' and is, apparently, fantastically up-to-date as an educational method. Nice to know that one is at the cutting edge.

Do you think I can have mastered the six words I need for the present indicative of 'to be' by tonight? Surely I can do that. Just that.

Comments

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Not keeping up with the dishwashing has become a fact of life.

And I know exactly what you mean about not enough time - this evening, frex, should I watch TEP, catch up with my f'list and have fascinating "conversations", or try and put a few of my HH plot bunnies out of the misery of their half-formed existence? Not to mention the double tape of Gormenghast on loan from friend of my mum's. And then there are the books I'm reading/want to read... *sigh*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Not keeping up with the dishwashing has become a fact of life.

Sadly true.

What's this about HH plot bunnies? Are you writing Hornblower fic?

Have you seen Gormeghast yet? Despite the wonderful presence of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, I've never been able to watch that to the end.

Yes, too many books. Way, way too many books.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

I have several partly written bits of HH fic, yes. Maybe after the KA fic, which was progressing nicely until I hit the (het) sex scene. How odd! I think the problem is that it's just sex, it doesn't really advance the plot at all - unlike the stuff that comes before it, which is essentially a bitter verbal duel between L and G in which L starts out thinking he has the upper hand and slowly comes to realise that he's completely out of his depth. Maybe I should rethink the whole structure of the bloody thing...

JRM is the main one of the reasons why I'm so excited about being loaned the Gormenghast tapes. Haven't watched them yet, so can't comment. Not enough hours in the day, damnit.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Maybe after the KA fic, which was progressing nicely until I hit the (het) sex scene. How odd! ... Maybe I should rethink the whole structure of the bloody thing...

When I have a problem like that I ask myself: can I write this story without this scene? Is there a way of alluding to it, or approaching it differently, that will make it work? If the story still makes sense without it, I chuck it, on the theory that if the scene doesn't work for me, it isn't going to work for anyone. And if I'm not proud of it, I don't want anyone to see it.

Re Gormenghast: I'll be interested to hear what you think. JRM is as always fascinating. The sets and costumes are marvellous. But I quickly lose interest whenever I try to watch. (I had the same problem with the book.)

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

I watched the first half yesterday - I'll probably watch the rest of it today, but I'm not enthralled. It left me rather cold - I think because it lacks a single sympathetic character I can identify with. JRM is fascinating as Steerpike - eerily so.

Re. the fic - I gave it a rest today and will go back to it with a fresh mind and hopefully be able to see it more clearly. It's complicated - when isn't it? *g*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was my reaction to Gormenghast exactly.

Writing things is rewarding but not easy!

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Writing things is rewarding but not easy!

I reread, after leaving it alone for a while. I realised I'm very happy with the earlier sections - surprisingly so, which was nice. ;) Am rethinking the rest of it...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That's as it should be. I hope it continues to go well.