Dichroic Reflections

random bits

It's all Neil Gaiman's fault. Last night I went and bought the audiobook version of Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn partly because I hadn't read it for years and remember being vastly impressed when I did, but more to get the novella-length sequel he's just written, Two Hearts. Signed! It's only available that way. (The audiobook is unabridged and is read by Beagle himself - it's available here.)

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Note to Senator Lugar: there are what, 250 million people in this country? Wouldn't you think, with that many to choose from, that we could choose a UN ambassador about whom something better could be said that, "there is no evidence that he has broken laws or engaged in serious ethical misconduct"?

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I'd be happier about tomorrow's race if it weren't forecast to hit 98 degrees. Fortunately, I think rowing events will be the first ones off, and I'm not really planning to do it at a serious race pace anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if there's only one or two other women's singles entered, or even none. Also, the nice thing abuot regattas is by definition there's always water there, so if it gets too hot it's usually possible to at least put your feet in the water.

On the other hand I need to row my boat to the marina on the lake where the race starts tonight - it's only a thousand meters or so, but that will be at the hottest part of the day (95 degrees forcast). Ick.

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LA's entry today had me thinking. The older I get, the more I mind the idea of being cooped up. It's not really claustrophobia - I don't mind being in a cube or office or house, but I want places to get out and go from there. I still have recurring dreams where I'm in the rowhouse where I grew up (or my grandparent's, which was even smaller) and I go around a corner or through an attic door to find open decks with long green views, and quiet sunny rooms. (There was a trap door in the top of my closet, presumably leading to an area under the roof, but it was sealed. I always wanted to get in there, especially after reading The Magician's Nephew.) I like the idea of a big house, old enough to be comfortable, with lots of turns and corners and nooks and crannies - New Moon, say, or the Murrays' house in Wrinkle in Time (preferably a generation later, after they'd built the indoor pool). Or an apartment, but with an interesting city at its foot in walking distance. There are houses in the area where I went to college, big old three-story twins, that meet both criteria, if I had any desire to live in Philadelphia again. Come to think of it, a lot of this might be doing to growing up on the Narnia books, with all their places that have insides bigger than outsides. I have a feeling that what I really want is the Professor's old country manor, preferably complete with wardrobe.

Posted by dichroic at May 12, 2005 09:52 PM