A Meeting with Medusa
The age 42 is jangling its irritating ringtone in my ear (okay, it's not attractive to let your mouth hang open like that - yes, that's how old I am), and to console myself because I hate birthdays I bought myself a present.
I haven't read some of these stories ("Reunion," "Food of the Gods") since I was a very young girl, and others ("The Star," "Dial F for Frankenstein") since college, and I've never before read "The Wind from the Sun." Can you believe it? I guess I never got around to it - and it's wonderful, a beautiful story, so sad and heroic.
UPDATED: This dates me.
I haven't read some of these stories ("Reunion," "Food of the Gods") since I was a very young girl, and others ("The Star," "Dial F for Frankenstein") since college, and I've never before read "The Wind from the Sun." Can you believe it? I guess I never got around to it - and it's wonderful, a beautiful story, so sad and heroic.
UPDATED: This dates me.
Labels: birthdays, frolic, literature
posted by Kristine | Friday, March 16, 2007
37 Comments:
I can't read, so I can only say that I've seen a few of his movies.
Happy Birthday.
Happy birthday! I remember when 42 sounded old. It doesn't anymore.
Thanks, guys. Perhaps someday I'll look back at this and think, Dang, she was so young to freak out...
Cat's staff, maybe John and I should hold another one of our reading parties, and I can read some of Clarke's stories.
HOW ABOUT A PLATITUDE?
"You are only as young as you feel"
I can still remember 42, it's not all that depressing. Getting older sure beats the alternative. Happy Birthday!
Hey happy birthday there kiddo. Yes, you are still a kid, even though you are older than most people.
Here's proof: http://www.statemaster.com/graph/peo_med_age-people-median-age
Always remember to look on the bright side, people!
I will be younger than median for a few more months according to that. I am a lot less dense than 61.8 kg/m^3 though (someone must be really dense and bring up the average). My sex ratio is more like zero...I'm probably bringing that one down.
Kristine,
Loved the piece you commented over at my other blog is a porsche. In fact it inspired a whole new post.
ACC, huh? I always wanted to visit him in Sri Lanka. I thought it was cool he lived there and every time I saw him on the Vee his place looked so, well, cool.
Last week I was watching Jeopardy and the answer was ACC's middle name. I was amazed I didn't have a clue. I don't ever remember knowing.
So, without peeking, does anyone know what it is?
And remember:
Your only as old as your feet.
Well, you're 208 years younger than you were when last we talked and about 17 years older than you look.
Happy Birthday, Kristine!
But Rev. Barky, I quaffed a few beers last night and I ain't feeling so young right now! ;-)
Getting older sure beats the alternative.
That's for sure! Thanks.
Hey happy birthday there kiddo.
I like being called kiddo. Boy I was surprised by the median ages - I thought they would be higher. I thought Americans weren't having enough kids? Anyway, I love all that 1940s speak: "Here's looking at you, kid," etc.
Cats staff, what does your cat do to you on your birthday? Stomp on your face and demand breakfast? Mine, too.
Loved the piece you commented over at my other blog is a porsche. In fact it inspired a whole new post.
I'm glad. After I sent my comment I thought, "He's going to think I'm a real windbag." My intention was just to tell a bedtime story. :-) (But no one can tell stories like Robert Desnos could - he's Artaud's friend in the scene.)
Well, you're 208 years younger than you were when last we talked and about 17 years older than you look.
Crandaddy, I admit that it was your initial comment that made me think, "Maybe it's time I reported my real age." I'm such a bad girl! *wink*
Anyway it means a lot to me that you visited and wished me well. Thank you! (And when is your birthday? Huh?) :-)
Cats staff, what does your cat do to you on your birthday? Stomp on your face and demand breakfast? Mine, too.
I don't have birthdays...I don't get any older that way.
Cat stomps on my face every morning...I'm so lucky to have a cat that will wake me up every morning....
Forty-two: the answer to life, the universe and everything.
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away I was that age.
Scotius
I'm so lucky to have a cat that will wake me up every morning....
I gotta admit that mine has many a time saved me from being late to work.
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away I was that age.
Golly gee whiz, am I younger than (almost) everyone out thar?
I'm hoping to get a hold of my own mini black hole so that I can keep the event horizon in my backpack and thus never age! (Except I'm afraid of my textbooks tumbling in.)
And when is your birthday? Huh?
I share the same birthday as Daniel Dennett. LOL!
Well isn't this wierd. I just found out Dawkins' birthday is only two days prior. I wonder what this could mean. Hmmm....
It means we all had a common ancestor.
Wahaha! You knew that was coming, right? ;-)
We're all Aries. Not that I believe in astrology, of course. (I had an astrology believer tell me, "Well Aries don't believe in astrology anyway." You just can't argue with some people.)
Dear Diary: I got to sit next to Kristine for over two hours yesterday and she even spoke to me! I was in heaven! Please God, make her like me. I promise to be good for the rest of my life! Amen.
Now that is quite enough, you silly man! ;-)
(Men. Can't live without 'em, can't be 3 billion women.)
When I was in grade school, I had this enormous crush on the prettiest girl in the class from 3rd grade until 7th grade. My whole existence at St. Mary's School revolved around being seated close to her or not. One day in 4th grade the class was put into groups of 4 desks, facing each other in pairs - guess which desk got put up across from mine? Yep Sheila's! I don't think I have ever been so happy in my life. I used to pray to God for her to be my girlfriend and promised God everything imaginable.
God was a terrible match maker.
I would mention were you can go see video of the back of her head from the other day...but I'm sure everyone knows how to find the podcast.
That could be the first entry into my KH video collection. Ill try sitting behind her with a video camera at the the next mnatheist meeting - then I could get my very own video of the back or Kristine's head. I know that God wants me to do this and I will be rewarded.
I think Rev. Barky thinks I'm his cat.
I guess that makes him my staff! Wahahaha!
bKristine, that was such a bad joke that I no longer am insanely in love with you anymore. Don't feel bad though, you still rate up there with Sheila Wrobel in my 4th grade class. ;)
*Shimmies in defiance*
Just for that I'm going to have a secret mission for you soon.
Any big plans for "Tolkien reading day"...
Sorry, I was never a Tolkien fan - I haven't read his works. John has, but a long time ago. We saw all three of the films - I must say I didn't like the last one (computer graphics all look so obvious and middling to me) with all the senseless killing. It didn't seem to deserve the Academy Award, in my opinion.
Happy belated bday (but I just discoverd your blog today)!
aA
BTW, I added you to my blogroll at Atheism Central
Wow. I just turned 42 March 6th.
Pretty freaky. We're darn near twins, Kristine!
I actually found a twin in an on-line forum one time...
Check it out.
42 sounds much older than I feel. The kicker is that I found a gray hair a week after my birthday. I freaked. Big time.
Anyway, Happy Birthday.
Happy belated bday (but I just discoverd your blog today)!
Actually my birthday is Thursday, tomorrow (but I tend to forget about it on the actual day!).
I really hate birthdays - I'm uncomfortable with the "Let's have treats for Kristine!" thingie at work. However, there's no way not to think about it so I may as well 'fess up. Thanks for the linky.
Thank you for visiting ForTheKids, it's very nice of you. Happy Birthday yourself (belatedly).
I don't feel old either, but I've had gray hairs since 26.
Horrors on horrors' heads!!!! Not a Tolkien fan???? In the forty years since I discovered LotR, I have read the trilogy thirteen times. I have seen each of the movies several times on the theater screen. I was both delighted and disappointed; the imagery was spectacular, but Jackson left too much out.
Oh well, ya can't have everything!!!
Scotius
I haven't read Dune either, or the sequels, or the Foundation series, but I did score these books at the recent library bookstore sale for $0.25 each.
"Dune" is a classic-a must read for any serious student of science fiction. It is a masterpiece of imagination; but the sequels get progressively worse and worse. I dragged myself through "Chapterhouse," Frank Herbert's last effort with the series. On the weakness of that, I've chosen not to read any of the prequels. So many books, so little time.
Over the past forty-one years, I have read "Foundation" twice. The single volume of the several stories was the first book I purchased from the Science Fiction Book Club.
Scotius
Asimov! Asimov! Vonnegut! Vonnegut!
Happy birthday, Kristine.
Not read Tolkien? I am shocked. Don't judge the book by the films, which were indeed a little disappointing in how the plot was dumbed down.
Not read Azimov's Foundation trilogy?
I am stunned. Still a good read.
Scotius is right about "Dune" too. The sequels aren't worth a candle.
Thanks Alan. There are so many books that I haven't read yet. I haven't even read all of the books by Nabokov yet, or Conrad, or Shirley Jackson. I have one big-ass "to read" list.
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