Three things make a post

[lokifan]

1. Classically, I reached the end of the second week of term and got a nasty cold. I managed the first three days but was off today and will probably be off tomorrow; shame, when I’m paid hourly, but ugh I can’t. Have been comfort-reading A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones and playing some more Persona 5; we’ve all made friends with Futaba, so I’d guess I’m a bit more than halfway through? Overall the game’s cute but doesn’t massively compel me, so it’s just what I play when I want to do something low-brain.

2. Due to cold-induced fuzzy brain, I haven’t started Mary Beard’s new book Emperor of Rome, but I’m looking forward to it. I went to an interview with her at the Barbican the other week; she was interviewed by David Olusoga, and it was v interesting. It was the week of “how often do men think about the Roman Empire”, and she was asked about it; her answer for why that happens (with apologies to the men in her audience, to whom this didn't apply) was that it's a way of thinking about macho conquest in a distanced way.

3. Yaaaay October! Our spooky decorations are up in the living room. This month an American friend who I haven't seen since 2019 is coming back to London, and will staying with me & my BFF K for at least a week. And then it's London Comic-Con, and an annual Hallowe'en trip with friends. This year we're going to Whitby, for max Goth vibes.

Comments

[ceciliaj]

I hope this doesn't get me canceled, but I was recently on a watching-Mary-Beard-on-YouTube kick, and my favorite video was probably her Greece v Rome debate with Boris Johnson. It was so entertaining!

[lokifan]

Hahaha no cancelling! I mean, Boris is entertaining. (I've stopped being able to find him entertaining due to like, burning hatred, but that's subjective.) Also that's the best debate because there are rumours that losing it is why he vetoed her becoming a trustee of the British Museum while he was PM.

She's a trustee now, of course.

[itsnotmymind]

You know I haven't read all of Mary Beard's books, but she really impressed me some years ago when I was researching the Parthenon Marbles for school. I probably should read all her books.

[lokifan]

So far Emperor of Rome is v interesting. I do wanna read SPQR at some point too, and Women and Power.

[itsnotmymind]

I have read SPGR and Women and Power, and they are both good!

[lunabee34]

Yay for seeing friends again!

[lokifan]

So excited! I recently saw another friend who I hadn't seen since just before the pandemic (I used to see them at Nine Worlds, a London con that's stopped happening) and that was a BLAST.