Pick 5 meme

[temperance14]

agengrgal posted this meme awhile ago, and I responded.
Well, I replied on 23 March. NOW, I'm responding:

"Comment to this post and I will list five things I associate with you. They might make sense or they might be totally random. You're encouraged to post that list, with your commentary on each item, to your lj (or just add a reply back at me)."

And my assigned topics?

Jane Austen and writers you admire
Free Time (or lack thereof)
NPR
Childhood Dreams
Robins Egg/Turquoise Blue

Jane Austen and other writers: First, about the other writers--I need more of them. I've been assigned by one person to read Vonnegut and Tim Robbins--the person felt too many of my favorite authors are 19th century or older. I think I need Amy Tan--she strikes me as one of the few authors who will show the world, "This was 20th century life, and this is how grew". She can write women. I'd like to read Joanne Harris's Chocolat, and its sequel. I want to finish reading Henry James, because as one critic observed, much of his work is excellent Jane Austen fan fiction: taking her plots, and running them down new rails.

There are so many I need to read. But I love Jane. I love Jane not because she is a great writer, because she is not. She is not because she was a new and self schooled style of writer, and she was a 19th century writer. Much of that style leaves readers of today unsatisfied. Which is not to say we Janeites dislike her work--that's the problem. Fans love it, and are frustrated by unfinished business, or unfulfilled stories.

But I love Jane for her characters--not the heroes or heroines, but her idiots and sidekicks.
The other authors I love, I have found most of them loved Jane as well. Dickens, Wodehouse (what oh, what an Baroque artis with the 20th century English!), Kipling (to Mr. Twain's dismay), Rowling, and I do believe Mr. Pratchett.

And poets. I read too much and not enough poetry.


Free time: Not enough, and it's slipping away. I feel I have to chase free time projects even faster, which doesn't leave much free time.
If I can, I will read more. More poetry from the library. More critical studies. More small histories, more histories of English kings.

I need more movies, I need more walks. Lord, I intend to walk and camp this summer. Oh yes---I need more nature guides. Museums *sigh*. And why don't I tune in jazz on KXJZ when I get home?

More physical activity. Even bowling--I'm terrible, but my arms could use the work. Hiking. I want to dance; I want to lose enough weight, and gain enough stamina to polka properly.

I need creative time. Writing, cartooning (yes I used to like that)--anything where I can make a story. I miss working with color--painting, drawing, knitting or crocheting. Wish I could sew--but that's an old whine.

But dammit, I miss crochet. Proper, leisurely crochet. My favorite vice.

Let's wind this up:
NPR: it's audio. I don't have to watch a fecking screen to listen. It's archived, so I can search for particular topics or series of shows. NPR is not the only radio news/essay network. PRI offers some of the most popular show on public radios stations (listen to The Best of Our Knowledge). American Public Media offers Prarie Home Companion, among others. And BBC for entertainment shows. BBC radio 7 gives me last week's news comedy quiz, old 1950's Goon Shows, and radio plays of old mysteries or classic books.

Teal: It's supposed to be Teal, which I find cooler than Turquoise (more of a yellow blue-green in most fashion colors). I don't find too many colors that I like in stores and clothes that I can afford. The most economical colors for a wardrobe is to have a black, or dark neutral, a white/light, and red and/or pink (every skin tone needs a warm or cool red)....and a complimentary blue or green. For me, I like blue greens, leaning toward blue. It's cheap, they can be found in t-shirts, and hey aren't 'citrus' colors..

Childhood dreams: Not many, career wise, that were realistic. Most of my dreams were fantasies back then. Real dreams came in my teens. I wanted to be involved in the music industry, when I was in my teens. Not as a performer--A&R. Some kids wanted to be the Stones...I wanted to be Clive Davis. Then I wanted to be some kind of graphic artist, but didn't know how to go about it. That was painful to give up. Cartooning in my 20's.

I'd have to think more about that.

Comments

[serendipity17.livejournal.com]

I like citrus colors. I have, however, spent so long trying to be not-noticed in my wardrobe choices that the bright cheery yellow-hued tones aren't a big part of what I've currently got (grey/blue darkened jewel-tones).