You're not the only member of the walking wounded in this house

[sovay]

1. Arisia. I am very, very tired, but I am counting it a success. Panels, readings, chantey sing, objective evidence indicates they all went well: and all of them were fun. Plus the usual attractions of a convention, people and books. Discussion at the Shakespeare panel reminded me of Lev AC Rosen's All Men of Genius (2011), which I found in the dealer's room immediately afterward; when it turned out I needed a slightly larger purchase (note to self: remember checks), there was handily a small paperback of Jim Butcher's Dead Beat (2005) at the same bookseller's stall. The next afternoon, I found the hardcover of Phyllis Gotlieb's O Master Caliban! (1976), which I hadn't actually realized existed. I got my mother an Edward Gorey T-shirt. I did not spend nearly enough time with cucumberseed. Saturday night, I had dinner with assorted Kesslers and no luck ordering a Bunny Hug (note to self: remember absinthe); Sunday night I bailed on parties and rather too late at night made dinner from a recipe off the Guardian. I met marlowe1 on panels and ajodasso for the first time in person; I got a sticker for the London Calling party and had goat curry with a slightly different assortment of Kesslers tonight in Teele Square. I sang Skin Horse filk with awhyzip. I expect to feel like trains fell on me tomorrow. Tonight, just moderately sized trucks. It was a good con.

2. Downton Abbey. I am enjoying the series, but the pacing is already troubling me—I understand the show isn't interested in being the Foyle's War of World War I, but it's the second episode and we're already in 1917. Given how much I'm told the war was the shadow on the horizon of the first season, it shouldn't be slingshot through in seven episodes. It's producing a weirdly compressed effect; there are several clear storylines moving forward, but we've had three instances now of subplots introduced and resolved within the same episode which I expected to become, if not long-running, then at least more than blinks in the thread of the show. (All three were fleshing out character and setting, not romantic suspense. I can't be the only viewer who prefers history to soap.) And it's been indicated that the PBS broadcasts are being trimmed slightly from their ITV originals, which is completely useless to me. I really don't want to have to wait for the DVDs. You can do that with anything. I will still (as one does) tune in next week and hope the season pulls itself out of second-novel syndrome, but it is reminding me why I do not watch as much television as I read books.

3. Hats. I promised these to strange_selkie, so blame her for any diminished opinion you may have of me. What my grandfather formally left me was the original Cibachrome print reproduced by Erzebet on the cover of A Mayse-Bikhl. Possibly because no one else wanted them, I have also inherited some of his hats: most notably a black lamb astrakhan and a wolf hat. They are vintage. The wolf hat—by which I do not mean the hat a wolf would wear, or a wolf-resembling hat, but a hat made out of actual wolfskin—almost certainly dates from the fifties, but my mother believes the astrakhan originally belonged to her grandfather, my great-grandfather Noah. All photographs were taken around one in the morning on Sunday, after my longest day of programming, hence the thousand-yard-stare. The wolf hat sheds on everything.



Fig. 1. In which I wear the astrakhan and a not too punch-drunk expression, although the pose may be unintentionally stylin'.



Fig. 2. The wolf hat makes its appearance.



Fig. 3. I cannot believe there is a wolf hat on my head.



Fig. 4. There was also this flat cap.



(Fig. 5. Bonus wolf hat. This is not some kind of Soviet joke: the wolf hat does wear you.)

Bed.

Comments

[darthrami.livejournal.com]

The cap is quite excellent.

We haven't been watching Downton Abbey here in our house - I keep debating it, and then remembering that I tend not to overly love British Class Dramas. But one of these days when I have time on my hands...

Do tell me you've been watching Sherlock, though.

[zdenka]

Those are some excellent hats. Wear them in good health (she said hopefully).

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it was a good con! Thanks for sharing the recipes from the Grauniad--they look delicious. I've not had goat in ages--should try to remedy that sometime soon.

It's a pity about the trimming of the episodes.

Nice hats! (I almost wrote "Nize Hats!" Jägermonsters are apparently having an influence on me.) And those are actually nice photographs.

I wish you comfort and pleasant rest, and hope you'll only be feeling as if very small trains fell on you.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

The hats are fabulous. Wear them in good health.

It was an excellent con, and I am happy we paneled together.

Nine

I cannot believe there is a wolf hat on my head.

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

Two words:

Burns Supper.

[rosefox]

Wolfskin hat tucked into lambskin hat = infinite "sheep's clothing" jokes.

I love the cap.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

The cap looks good, as does the astrakhan.

Bunny Hug?

Sleep well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I particularly like fig 4. You're really rocking the Mike Waterson look.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

LOL, I like that the wolf hat sheds--just like a real wolf undoubtably would. You look ready to tackle Siberia--or iced-in Nome, Alaska.

[ajodasso.livejournal.com]

I do think the flat cap suits you best.

People have been recommending Jim Butcher to me for ages now, so I'm thinking that may be the next series of books I tackle now that I have all manner of down-time. My first project since touching down here was King's Dark Tower series, which I had started a long time ago, but abandoned due to a fit of boredom early in the second book.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

I lack the proper Jagermonster icon to say this properly, but I'll say it anyway: nize hat!!!

[snowy-owlet.livejournal.com]

I would wear that wolf hat everywhere. Mahvelous, dahling!

(PS: I also think the flat cap suits you nicely.)

[gaudior.livejournal.com]

I agree with everyone: the flat cap looks good.

What is second-novel syndrome? Is there also first, third, etc -novel syndrome?

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

I think the flat cap ought to become your new signature piece of headwear, if only because if you lost the astrakhan on a train seat or something I would be crushed.

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

cucumberseed did not spend near enough time with you.

The astrakhan is styling.

Downton A

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

I read a review the other day in which the critic posited the theory that Julian Fellowes likes his characters so much that he can't bear to see them come to harm. That may be true, in which case any amount of suspense about who will make it home from battle safely is removed. It's nice to see Edith and Mary turn into human beings, though - my theory after the first series was that they'd get into a knife fight with each other and both die of tetanus, but I think it's better the way it is.

[rose-lemberg.livejournal.com]

Over the course of today, I told three different people about your wolf hat. It made a lasting impression! (I hope you don't mind; I love hats, and this one is spectacular and looks even greater wearing you!).

Abbey and all that.

[tiereu.livejournal.com]

I have only caught about 1 episode of this seasons Abbey. So i will have to play catch up... is it me or have they changed the lighting a bit this season. Heavy sepia tones with brighter highlights on white vests etc. i'm all for a "painterly" look but it smacks a bit of effort. And its probably historically accurate, but i can't help but be annoyed that the upper class guys seem to get automatically get higher ranks and niftier uniforms. liked the 1st season though...
A series i highly recommend for an arisia type crowd would be the "Murdoch Mysteries" - about a detective working 1890's Toronto. Very well written, great characters and an occasional historical figure showing up. so far: Nikola Tesla, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and HG Wells. the show has a real retro-futurism feel. I could have used that hat last night on my bike ride home... good to hear that arisia went well. i liked it more than last year ...though i think i was quite daft on one of my panels. hope you don't mind me commenting here. cheers!