before they lock me up or tie me down

dear world,

I am crazed. I just wanted to stop by and say hi before they cart me away. I am preparing for my 2nd qualifying exams right now. I feel manifestly unready to the point where I can no longer sleep or study profitably. There has been so much going on that I wanted to blog about but...No, I'm lying now. Sadly all I really want to do is loll in my bed, drink pineapple cranberry juice and chocolate. Maybe some roast lamb.

Instead. It is the salt mines. But I thought I'd reach out and wave a virtual hand. Limply.

What can I tell you about? The 19th century novel and the girls' book? Rennaissance Utopias? Lady Mary Wroth's family tree? The relationship of fanfiction to Derrida's Archive Fever? Framing devices in Scott Westerfield's Peeps?

Your eyes are closing aren't they? Well, no matter. Mine too. Except when I lie down. Then my heart starts beating so fast, I think it's going to burst out of my chest.

Let's try a less alarming topic.

I managed to see both the Shakespeare in the Parks this summer.

Romeo & Juliet - truly excellent. Fantastic performances, especially Romeo (a part I've never been too fond of) and Lord Capulet (a part I was never particularly moved by either, but was awe-inspiring. Incidentally, upon examining the playbill I discovered the actor to have won an Oscar, a Tony and a Pulitzer. That must be the ultimate trifecta of feathers in one's cap.) And a Set to Die For -literally and figuratively. There was a pool of water in the center of the stage, (which rotated!) and poor Juliet spent most of the second act shivering in it. She looked so cold. But beautiful! And a bridge across it that moved into pieces, so that the actors moving it became part of the set itself. The wind howled against the mikes in just the right parts, till it seemed like the Gods of the Park themselves were playing for us. It was awesome.

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Terrible. There was atonal singing of various portions. They'd erected some manner of picket fence to separate the stage from the park. (For a production of Dream! I ask you!) The play finished with Puck's monologue handed over to the entire cast, who all stood forward and sang it in this horrible off key melody, and looked entirely too much like the cast of Les Miz. Fairies were played by insufficiently rehearsed children (very young) who's attention kept wandering. Costumes and setting were unclear. However, there was a cool tree in the middle of the stage, an awesome fairy contortionist & rope artist, Puck was good when allowed to be so, the four lovers had moments of sheer excellence, and I was unexpectedly wowed by Theseus and Hippolita. (This was clearly the summer for oddly awesome elder character performances.) I really felt like the actors were done a serious disservice by the director of this play. On the other hand, I heard he slipped through the trap door and broke a rib, punctured a lung, so perhaps that explains some of it. Though not all. Not the singing. I almost disgraced myself by hysterical giggles. It was truly terrifying.

Speaking of truly terrifying: You may have already seen this terrifying account of someone's sojourn in one of these behaviour modification boot camps. If not, I encourage you to go over and take a look. It's truly horrifying. I think of watching But I'm a Cheerleader, and I kind of want to cry. That movie was funny, and sweet - but stuff like shoiryu talks about actually happens, and not just as ground for dark comedy.

Okay. On a less earth-shattering note: were you aware of the incredible amalgamation of bacon & chocolate. Is anyone willing to go test it out for me? *bats eyelashes*

I think I'm going to try to go to bed now. Sweet dreams. I'll be thinking of you when my heart throbs. Promise.