Robin McKinley's Web Site .:. Robin McKinley's Blog

Robin McKinley

Official Web Forum

Home » Discussion Forums » Blog Post Discussion » Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday
Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46297] Thu, 17 November 2011 21:39 Go to next message
Robin  is currently offline Robin
Messages: 6025
Registered: September 2008
Location: England
Senior Member
[Hellgoddess]
http://robinmckinleysblog.com/2011/11/18/never-promise-anyth ing-for-the-day-after-your-birthday/
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46298 is a reply to message #46297 ] Thu, 17 November 2011 21:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
HorsehairBraider  is currently offline HorsehairBraider
Messages: 161
Registered: August 2009
Location: New Mexico
Senior Member
I don't know why but it makes me feel somehow slightly *better* to know that other people forget things occasionally... as the only thing I have not forgotten (so far) is my NAME. I tell people that I have a mind like a lightning bolt: it never strikes twice in the same place and when it does hit you can only see it for a fraction of a second... Hopefully no one is quite as bad as I am. My defense is that my mind is all filled up with how to do my profession, and there is no room left over for anything else. It's probably not true but it sounds good.

Anyway my condolences for forgetting things from time to time. I think you should blame it on the dark chocolate: this will make people wonder.

And quantum knitting?! That would be so awesome... that's the hobby I want to take up, quantum knitting.


They say princes learn no art truly, save that of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his groom. Ben Jonson
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46299 is a reply to message #46297 ] Thu, 17 November 2011 22:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
EMoon
Messages: 669
Registered: March 2009
Senior Member
I have friends--intelligent people--who keep wanting me to appreciate anime. I keep sneaking back to representational art, music that doesn't hurt my ears, and books with no pictures of the anime/manga variety.

Am still mulling over the peculiarly mixed voice lesson I had Wednesday, which may require writing our Hellgoddess a long email.

Forgetting things...yes, I do. I blame politicians and bankers. That's a safe bet right now. Though today the kitchen scissors I couldn't remember where it's put turned out to have been moved by Richard.


E
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46300 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 01:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Diane in MN  is currently offline Diane in MN
Messages: 2756
Registered: October 2008
Location: Twin Cities, MN, USA
Senior Member
Your anime/manga experience made me think of Flora's attendance at an afternoon of experimental Japanese cinema in Cold Comfort Farm. At least she had a sympathetic seatmate and a bag of peppermints to provide some relief. I hope you got refreshments after the show.

I am glad I did not have the famous Mr Newton as a next-door neighbour, for example. Not at all a nice fellow.

I'm just reading a long and detailed biography of Sir Isaac. You are being generous.



"The point of books is to have way too many but to always feel you never have enough . . . " Louise Erdrich
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46301 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 02:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cmarschner  is currently offline cmarschner
Messages: 18
Registered: August 2010
Location: Ithaca, NY
Junior Member
I really liked "a brief history of nearly everything". It was chock full of factoids and odd people, but it was one of the first non-fiction science books I was actually able to finish, thanks to the charming writing and the way it moved briskly from one topic to the next.
Also, I wanted to mention how much I've appreciated the recent running commentary on math and popular science books; I know I have a huge blind spot in math particularly, and I want to appreciate it better. Perhaps one of these pre-vetted books will help.
Anime seems like a very hit-and-miss thing from my perspective. I really hate a lot of the standard anime, but I really like Miyazaki. It's his Pollyanna-friendly worldview, I think, and all the rich colours and lovingly rendered landscapes.
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46304 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 07:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mirkat  is currently offline Mirkat
Messages: 103
Registered: May 2010
Location: Richland, WA
Senior Member
My understanding is that what we would consider "good" anime (a storyline! Strong developed characters! Incredible artwork!) is hard to come by. I've heard good things about Bone and Fullmetal Alchemist but have not personally read either.
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46306 is a reply to message #46304 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 08:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
roisindubh211  is currently offline roisindubh211
Messages: 11
Registered: October 2009
Junior Member
What anime were you watching?

I haven't read FullMetal Alchemist, but I've watched a lot of it, and its quite good. Slightly grisly (the story starts with our young boy heroes trying to bring their mother back from the dead. One of them ends up missing an arm and the other loses his whole body, and somehow puts his soul into a suit of armor. This character is about seven or eight, I think.) but full of plot and even I can tell the characters apart (I can't do that watching live action TV half the time, so that is a true endorsement)

Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46316 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 13:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BurgandyIce  is currently offline BurgandyIce
Messages: 73
Registered: May 2010
Location: Damascus
Member
He gets the King Henry Anti-Award.

This is totally awesome. Some of the oddest stuff is spotlighted as being so great when really it's one step in a nearly right direction after such a wandering off any recognizably decent path that it's hairball-y.

Ok... You said that way better. I'll try to rephrase... I like "anti-award". I missed out on this un-awesome King Henry story somehow, but I absolutely love the idea. Of not rewarding stupid behavior.

Bother. What I mean is "YES!!!!!"

Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46319 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 19:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Corellia  is currently offline Corellia
Messages: 111
Registered: June 2010
Location: Norway
Senior Member
I've heard a much sweeter version of the king Henry story, with no murdering of pets.

It's set to king Arthur's time. One of the knights of the round table has to marry this really ugly old lady (can't quite remember why). It turns out that after the sun goes down, she changes into a lovely young lady, and she tells him he gets to choose if she is going to be lovely during the day, or during the night. At first he wants the lovely girl all for himself (ie so they can do the hanky panky at night), but she objects and says she is going to be the laughingstock of all the court if she's ugly during the day. After some further indecision on the part of the knight, he says he will leave the decision to her. Because he gives her the right to choose, it breaks her enchantment, and she becomes beautiful ever after.
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46320 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 19:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
shadowsong  is currently offline shadowsong
Messages: 2
Registered: November 2010
Junior Member
I feel compelled to guess what the anime in question were. Naked etiolated female mercenary sounds a lot like Elfen Lied. I'm guessing Evangelion for the main, because there's a lot of blowing stuff up and nearly-infinite power, and not a lot of likeable characters. It's definitely considered a classic of anime, but I think Eva's probably one of those you won't really "get" unless you're high. (I'm allergic to pot, and I definitely didn't get it.)

I suspect Miyazaki would be a better place to start for intro anime. I loved his take on Howl's Moving Castle, even though it's very different from the book.
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46323 is a reply to message #46297 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 21:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Quats  is currently offline Quats
Messages: 4
Registered: November 2011
Junior Member
I'm rather curious which anime this was -- I'm fond of anime generally, but there's quite a wide range of types, as the Japanese approach it as just another medium, like, say, "Film" instead of "Kids' Stuff" as we in the US tend to view animation. I don't recognize this particular one from the description, but that's not much of a surprise since it doesn't sound terribly appealing to me, either.

I third the Miyazaki endorsement. My particular favorite, hm, hard to pick. Either "Porco Rosso" -- the story of an Italian biplane ace, who for some inexplicable reason has been cursed to have the head of a pig, though this actually is quite peripheral to the story -- or "My Neighbor Totoro", which recently held a room full of college kids (yes, quite a number of them male) absolutely spellbound, despite being a slow and sweet story about two young girls moving into a new house and their encounters with the woodland spirits and beings in the forest nearby.

...."Beings" seems a bit generic of a term, but just how DOES one describe a Catbus?
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46324 is a reply to message #46319 ] Fri, 18 November 2011 21:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
L.R.K.  is currently offline L.R.K.
Messages: 1090
Registered: October 2008
Location: Sweden
Senior Member
Corellia wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 01:05

I've heard a much sweeter version of the king Henry story, with no murdering of pets.

It's set to king Arthur's time. One of the knights of the round table has to marry this really ugly old lady (can't quite remember why). It turns out that after the sun goes down, she changes into a lovely young lady, and she tells him he gets to choose if she is going to be lovely during the day, or during the night. At first he wants the lovely girl all for himself (ie so they can do the hanky panky at night), but she objects and says she is going to be the laughingstock of all the court if she's ugly during the day. After some further indecision on the part of the knight, he says he will leave the decision to her. Because he gives her the right to choose, it breaks her enchantment, and she becomes beautiful ever after.


Sir Gawain? Or am I misremembering things? (Entirely possible, that... Smile )


Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46325 is a reply to message #46324 ] Sat, 19 November 2011 01:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Diane in MN  is currently offline Diane in MN
Messages: 2756
Registered: October 2008
Location: Twin Cities, MN, USA
Senior Member
L.R.K. wrote on Fri, 18 November 2011 20:52

Corellia wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 01:05

I've heard a much sweeter version of the king Henry story, with no murdering of pets.

It's set to king Arthur's time. One of the knights of the round table has to marry this really ugly old lady (can't quite remember why). It turns out that after the sun goes down, she changes into a lovely young lady, and she tells him he gets to choose if she is going to be lovely during the day, or during the night. At first he wants the lovely girl all for himself (ie so they can do the hanky panky at night), but she objects and says she is going to be the laughingstock of all the court if she's ugly during the day. After some further indecision on the part of the knight, he says he will leave the decision to her. Because he gives her the right to choose, it breaks her enchantment, and she becomes beautiful ever after.


Sir Gawain? Or am I misremembering things? (Entirely possible, that... Smile )


This version of the loathly lady story is much closer to The Wife of Bath's Tale. The lady in Sir Gawain is the Green Knight's wife.



"The point of books is to have way too many but to always feel you never have enough . . . " Louise Erdrich
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46330 is a reply to message #46325 ] Sat, 19 November 2011 11:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
L.R.K.  is currently offline L.R.K.
Messages: 1090
Registered: October 2008
Location: Sweden
Senior Member
Diane in MN wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 07:20

L.R.K. wrote on Fri, 18 November 2011 20:52

Corellia wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 01:05

I've heard a much sweeter version of the king Henry story, with no murdering of pets.

It's set to king Arthur's time. One of the knights of the round table has to marry this really ugly old lady (can't quite remember why). It turns out that after the sun goes down, she changes into a lovely young lady, and she tells him he gets to choose if she is going to be lovely during the day, or during the night. At first he wants the lovely girl all for himself (ie so they can do the hanky panky at night), but she objects and says she is going to be the laughingstock of all the court if she's ugly during the day. After some further indecision on the part of the knight, he says he will leave the decision to her. Because he gives her the right to choose, it breaks her enchantment, and she becomes beautiful ever after.


Sir Gawain? Or am I misremembering things? (Entirely possible, that... Smile )


This version of the loathly lady story is much closer to The Wife of Bath's Tale. The lady in Sir Gawain is the Green Knight's wife.


I was thinking of the version in Howard Pyle, I believe - but that may not be the correct one obviously. (I know he changed some other things too - I rather enjoy them, though; and love his illustrations - they just feel... "right" somehow.) And even so, I may be misremembering which knight it was...


Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46331 is a reply to message #46330 ] Sat, 19 November 2011 13:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
roisindubh211  is currently offline roisindubh211
Messages: 11
Registered: October 2009
Junior Member
L.R.K. wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 11:52

Diane in MN wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 07:20

L.R.K. wrote on Fri, 18 November 2011 20:52

Corellia wrote on Sat, 19 November 2011 01:05

I've heard a much sweeter version of the king Henry story, with no murdering of pets.

It's set to king Arthur's time. One of the knights of the round table has to marry this really ugly old lady (can't quite remember why). It turns out that after the sun goes down, she changes into a lovely young lady, and she tells him he gets to choose if she is going to be lovely during the day, or during the night. At first he wants the lovely girl all for himself (ie so they can do the hanky panky at night), but she objects and says she is going to be the laughingstock of all the court if she's ugly during the day. After some further indecision on the part of the knight, he says he will leave the decision to her. Because he gives her the right to choose, it breaks her enchantment, and she becomes beautiful ever after.


Sir Gawain? Or am I misremembering things? (Entirely possible, that... Smile )


This version of the loathly lady story is much closer to The Wife of Bath's Tale. The lady in Sir Gawain is the Green Knight's wife.


I was thinking of the version in Howard Pyle, I believe - but that may not be the correct one obviously. (I know he changed some other things too - I rather enjoy them, though; and love his illustrations - they just feel... "right" somehow.) And even so, I may be misremembering which knight it was...


You are remembering correctly, this is also a Gawain story ("The Marriage of Sir Gawain"), a different one than "Gawain and the Green Knight". There was a giant harassing Arthur's kingdom, either killing subjects or beating up knights with no effort. He poses Arthur the riddle "What do women want?"- if the king can solve it, said giant will bugger off and leave everyone alone. So they hunt and get a million different answers, till he finds the hideous lady, who says she is the giant's sister and therefore knows the correct answer. She'll only give it if one of the knights of the Round Table promises to marry her, and Gawain steps up to the plate. The rest goes as you described it.

Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46332 is a reply to message #46331 ] Sat, 19 November 2011 14:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Corellia  is currently offline Corellia
Messages: 111
Registered: June 2010
Location: Norway
Senior Member
Thank you! It was bugging me that I couldn't remember how the story started Smile
Re: Never Promise Anything for the Day after Your Birthday [message #46333 is a reply to message #46297 ] Sat, 19 November 2011 14:50 Go to previous message
harpergray  is currently offline harpergray
Messages: 87
Registered: March 2011
Location: Sweden
Member
I wholeheartedly join in the Miyazaki appreciation. Howl's Moving Castle is nearest and dearest to my heart, not just because Christian Bale's voice in the English dubbed version is, ahem, quite lovely, but I also thought that Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Spirited Away were each beautiful in their own way, and The Cat Returns is always good for a giggle. That's another one that I prefer in the English dubbed version, being a huge fan of Cary Elwes.

Smile
Previous Topic:Happy Birthday to Me
Next Topic:Bark at the Moon – guest blog by Black Bear
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Wed Jun 19 21:27:22 EDT 2013

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.19041 seconds
.:: Contact :: Home ::.

Powered by: FUDforum.
Copyright © FUD Forum Bulletin Board Software