Wiscon curiosity and feminism...

[fajrdrako]

I was taking a peek at a site talking about Wiscon, out of curiosity. This caught my eye:

I was made incandescent with rage over academic elitism and incited to reactionary judgments by a panelist’s subjective experiences with Tolkien.

Tolkien, pro or con - always a nice topic for a controversy!

Also intriguing:

Today I attended my favorite panel so far. The discussion on hard sci-fi and on why lists of hard SF authors rarely include women was absolutely riveting, with brilliant panelists and an engaged crowd.

Okay, that sounds worth hearing - but what did they say?

Reminds me of something I was listening to on CBC radio a couple of days ago: an interview with women in Hollywood about why women make up only 16% of those in the film industry and only 26% in the television industry - and want to bet that's concentrated somewhat on daytime and 'women's' shows? The main topic was how all the big blockbuster movies (except Sex and the City) are made for boys and men - which I don't think is entirely true, I would have said the Indiana Jones was on the gender-neutral side, on the whole. But... that might reflect the circles I move in.

The movies I want to see just don't get made. I'm not holding my breath.

Comments

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I saw him in A Man for All Seasons a couple of years ago and was swept off my feet.

I sigh in envy. A couple of my friends flew over to England to see that. I couldn't. I have no trouble believing that he was better than Schofield. I prefer Shaw as an actor. (Though I did once see Schofield do a wonderful version of Volpone. He was great. But he wasn't Martin Shaw.)

Perhaps it was just the emotion of the day, which began by kneeling to pay my respect to St Thomas More outside St Peter ad Vincula

Very cool! I always liked it that Crosby Hall, which is where I lived when I lived in London, was on the site where More lived. And had a statue of him.

Adam Dalgliesh as embodied by Martin Shaw is my perfect man, really.

I haven't seen that yet. I'm almost scared to.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Damn the ephemeral nature of theater! I wish you could see it. I'd like to see it again.

!! The Cheyne Walk house or the one in the City? Did you ever think about what it must have looked like then? When did you live there? Was it for school?

ETA: OMG!! *clutches heart*

Google sez: Not "on the site of"! Crosby Hall was his City home! Previously owned by Richard III! It was moved to Cheyne Walk in 1910. I'm hyperventilating! And a little pissed that I missed seeing it. :-/


Oh, go on and rent Death in Holy Orders. He's just the biggest snugglebear.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

! I wish you could see it. I'd like to see it again.

Yeah... I'd love to see it with you... Damn, we need that TARDIS!

The Cheyne Walk house or the one in the City?

Cheyne Walk, right by the Battersea Bridge. Yes, Crosby Hall. It's a private residence now (wow!) but when I was there it was a residence for overseas students.

Did you ever think about what it must have looked like then?

Yes! Great fun.... a little less built-up then, I think.

When did you live there?

1976-7.

Was it for school?

Yes. I was doing post-graduate work at the University of London. Loved it.

go on and rent Death in Holy Orders. He's just the biggest snugglebear.

Okay!

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Out in the countryside then, wasn't it. Hard to imagine now.

How fortunate to spend serious time in London. I hope you spent a minimal amount of time actually studying! :-)

That city got under my skin like... I don't know what, but I can't shake it. New York is nice, Los Angeles is fine, Paris is lovely, Kathmandu is wild, Boston is mine, but London.... London owns my soul.

We need the TARDIS for some serious time-travel of all sorts. Let's go see the Mores! Actually, my ideal would be to have an invisible time machine and to be invisible myself. Oh, the places I'd go!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Out in the countryside then, wasn't it. Hard to imagine now.

You have to go a long way now to find "countryside" from Crosby Hall. I wonder how much that area has changed. Carlyle's house was just around the corner. And at the corner of Beafort and Fulham - a great creperie called Asterix, with Asterix characters on the wall. I wonder if it's still there? I'll Google and see if I can find out... Hmm, not on a quick search, no, but there are restaurants of that name in both Greece and Kentucky.

How fortunate to spend serious time in London.

It was incredibly wonderful!

I hope you spent a minimal amount of time actually studying! :-)

Hee - I studied hard! And went to all the plays I could.

That city got under my skin like... I don't know what, but I can't shake
it.

Me too.

New York is nice

Fascinating, and exciting, but strange, too. I love New York but I never have a feeling of being at home there.

Los Angeles is fine

I've enjoyed all my visits to LA, but I hate the city! It's horrible for someone who likes to walk everywhere: too hot and too spread out.

Paris is lovely,

That it is. Another city I am eager to return to. And the food! La cuisine!

Kathmandu is wild

Haven't been there. I'd love to see it.

Boston is mine,

Boston is lovely. I like the people, and the literary/historical connections, but it isn't as rich and resonant as London. My favourite cities in the US are Seattle and New Orleans.

but London.... London owns my soul.

London is great in just about every way.

my ideal would be to have an invisible time machine and to be invisible myself.

Cool. Stealth travel.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

If you ever want to see life in a medieval or early modern city, go to Kathmandu. Dirt streets, chickens running around, running sewers, wandering vendors, all of it. Stink and beauty side by side. Absolutely mind-blowing. I finally understood some things about old cities that you can't get a sense of even in the oldest sections of Paris or London.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I would love to visit Kathmandu. Where did you stay when you were there? Why did you go - was it just curiosity?

Sadly, the East is so far and expensive I don't know if I'll ever get there. But my childhood best friend is currently visiting her son in China, so who knows?

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Nepal is hilariously inexpensive: you just have to get there, which is a hassle. For a room and three meals I was averaging about $1.50 per day. That's one dollar. And fifty cents. You could stay in the fancy hotel for $10 a night, or even the one Prince Charles likes for $200.

I holed up in various places in Thamel, which is the tourist district and has most of the guest houses. Next time I'd rent a house. I spent about a month out west in the Annapurnas as well, and stayed in a most delightful guest house.

Curiosity. Quit my job, gave up my apartment, chucked my stuff in my parents' basement, cashed in my pension, and off I went.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

For a room and three meals I was averaging about $1.50 per day.

Wow!

even the one Prince Charles likes for $200

Might be fun to try it out for a night - I've never stayed anywhere like that!

I spent about a month out west in the Annapurnas as well, and stayed in a most delightful guest house.

That must have been beautiful.

Quit my job, gave up my apartment, chucked my stuff in my parents' basement, cashed in my pension, and off I went.

I want to do that!