On Thud, and things...

[conuly]

I did like Thud. It's true what people have been saying, that he's going in for more serious books, but not only is that not a bad thing, but this book still had some seriously funny moments. At one point, a person sitting an aisle away from me (in a chair!) stared, then got up and left, I was laughing that hard. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't really focus on the book, as I was both tired and hungry.

However, I can (and will!) go back and read it again.

Some things I noticed: Vimes is definitely changing. Letting a vampire in the watch (does his body look dead to you?), finding a use for his newest Disorganizer, winning an argument with his wife, and the argument was *for* a nursemaid for the kid? Wow.

Everyone is getting older. This worries me - people who get older *die*, and I don't want Fred or Nobby dead. Or anybody else.

I want to learn how to play Thud, now. *nodnodnod* I can, you know.

So, earlier today, I had to run for the boat. And I ran slow, slow, s l o w l y to the boat, and it hurt after a few steps, and I hated it. Later, I went outside to buy some ice cream, and I started running, and it was fastfastfastFAST, and I ran a block and a half like that, and the ground was just flying away beneath my feet, and it was good, I *had* to run. Not to get there in time, but because my body said "run", and I ran.

But when I have to run for external circumstances, it's like wading through thick honey.

I've asked this before, and I'll keep asking it: Why? Why is it that when I run to catch something, I end up out of breath? Why do I notice how awkwardly I run, arms flailing around at my sides? But when I run to run, even though nothing *changes*, my breath is fine, my jaw doesn't hurt, and my arms are just *there*, like they are when I walk?

Here's a better question. Why is it that when I'm reading, or I'm watching something (and this is why I prefer to watch things when I can pause them, by the way), and I get up to walk or run so I can think, people get upset? I'm not making *them* get up, am I? But it's always "what are you doing?" and "where are you going?" and (occasionally), "why are you doing that?" and nobody seems to listen to "nothing, nowhere, because I want to". This is my own family, and they keep asking the same questions, like the answers will suddenly change. Oh, I'm running off down the block, yes dressed like this, because I want to rescue those poor kitties from the burning building. I'll call if I'm late. Oh, I decided to practice for the marathon, so I'll be running like this for a while, until I've covered 26 miles going from the kitchen to the living room and back. Oh, didn't you know "walk back and forth in your house often" is the eleventh commandment in the Bible? I've decided to start observing that one, in lieu of the other ten.

*shrugs*

Oh, and Ana can now answer the following questions correctly:

"What is your name?"
"How old are you?"
"What is the capital of Canada?"

However, she now thinks that Ottawa is the correct answer for any question involving the word "capital". Poor dear.

Comments

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I hope you follow at least some of the other ten. You haven't been off killing people in between bouts of running, have you?!

[conuly]

*runs and hides*

[stevieg.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, go Ana!
*waves Canadian Flag! :D*

[conuly]

Naming capitals was a staple activity of our childhood. It got to the point where eventually we had to rebel, or be driven mad, mad I say! (We may have been too late....)

[stevieg.livejournal.com]

Well if your passing it on it totally must have been too late! ;)

[l33tminion]

But does she know the average airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

[conuly]

Is it 42?

[demonkoala.livejournal.com]

It should be!

[l33tminion]

That depends on whether it's an African or a European swallow.

[arikatt.livejournal.com]

Ah, another warped mind to join my own *see below comment*

[rachelkachel]

I taught my little sister the answers to the first two (and had to teach her again when she turned three) and also "What time is it?" to which she would always answer "Three o'clock!" (Dee o'gock, actually, but whatever.) I think there was actually one more but I can't remember what it was.

[idonotlikepeas]

Saw him on Friday, got book signed, was awesome.

[arikatt.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong that when I skimmed through and read...

"What is your name?"
"How old are you?"
"What is the capital of Canada?"

...the only thing that came to mind was Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

Running TO something implies a time limit, and I think time limits are designed to make people uncomfortable. Running just because has no time limit, so you can feel joyful instead of worrying about what's going to happen when you get there.

I've started trying to come up with ridiculous-but-true explanations. It's more fun than I expected it to be :)

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

I hope you follow at least some of the other ten. You haven't been off killing people in between bouts of running, have you?!

[conuly]

*runs and hides*

[stevieg.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, go Ana!
*waves Canadian Flag! :D*

[conuly]

Naming capitals was a staple activity of our childhood. It got to the point where eventually we had to rebel, or be driven mad, mad I say! (We may have been too late....)

[stevieg.livejournal.com]

Well if your passing it on it totally must have been too late! ;)

[l33tminion]

But does she know the average airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

[conuly]

Is it 42?

[demonkoala.livejournal.com]

It should be!

[l33tminion]

That depends on whether it's an African or a European swallow.

[arikatt.livejournal.com]

Ah, another warped mind to join my own *see below comment*

[rachelkachel]

I taught my little sister the answers to the first two (and had to teach her again when she turned three) and also "What time is it?" to which she would always answer "Three o'clock!" (Dee o'gock, actually, but whatever.) I think there was actually one more but I can't remember what it was.

[idonotlikepeas]

Saw him on Friday, got book signed, was awesome.

[arikatt.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong that when I skimmed through and read...

"What is your name?"
"How old are you?"
"What is the capital of Canada?"

...the only thing that came to mind was Monty Python and the Holy Grail?

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

Running TO something implies a time limit, and I think time limits are designed to make people uncomfortable. Running just because has no time limit, so you can feel joyful instead of worrying about what's going to happen when you get there.

I've started trying to come up with ridiculous-but-true explanations. It's more fun than I expected it to be :)